Captain Steven Mullaney made a career-best 192 and Joey Evison hit his maiden first-class hundred as a dominant Nottinghamshire set up a final-day victory charge against Sussex at Hove.
After Nottinghamshire resumed on 214 for five, with Mullaney on 79*, the skipper became increasingly merciless against a tiring home attack, as he cut, pulled, and swept his way to three figures, and far beyond.
Evison joined him minutes before lunch, and the pair shared a stand of 144 which survived the entire afternoon session, and put the visitors into the lead, before Evison went to his own ton shortly after Mullaney’s dismissal.
A cameo from Brett Hutton was instrumental in seeing the Green and Golds past 500, before the declaration arrived at 534 for nine with 15 overs remaining in the day.
Martlets opening pair Alistair Orr and Tom Haines then saw out the bulk of those, before Lyndon James removed the latter with five overs of the day left, with the hosts closing on 29 for one, putting them 130 in arrears.
Earlier, the best of the conditions seen across the first two days had finally come together as the weekend arrived on the south coast, with sunny blue skies above the ground and a distinct lack of sea breeze.
Mullaney and Tom Moores began proceedings with their sixth-wicket stand worth 54, and the captain took less than an hour to reach his 17th first-class hundred, seeing the visitors to a second batting point in the process.
Moores fell for 43 shortly afterwards, nicking Delray Rawlins into the hands of Tom Alsop at slip, but that only paved the way for Liam Patterson-White to commence an entertaining cameo of 44 from 45 balls.
After a five-for on the opening two days, Patterson-White proved himself to be equally adept with the bat as with the ball, as he struck two sixes to support his captain in seeing the deficit reduced to just 50.
Tom Clark removed him leg before wicket in the penultimate over before lunch, with Evison then assisting Mullaney in steering the visitors through to lunch at 332 for seven.
If the final few minutes of the morning were about caution, the whole afternoon was about reaping the rewards of that, as Mullaney and Evison sparkled in the sunshine.
A total of 136 runs were scored in the session without any loss, as the flashing blades of the pair saw milestones reached with regularity.
First, Mullaney punched four down the ground to reach 150, before following it up with a soaring six to help the Green and Golds to maximum batting bonus points with one over to spare.
Evison then swept four more to reach his own half-century, before the captain played a back-foot cut into the off-side off Steven Finn to reach 180*, passing his previous individual high score.
Tea arrived with Mullaney moving into the 190s and Notts on 468 for seven, leading by almost 100, but the skipper was denied the opportunity to double up when he fell for 192 not long after the resumption.
Nevertheless, he was rewarded with a hearty ovation, and the appreciative crowd were on their feet again shortly afterwards as Evison struck Jamie Atkins for four to post three figures himself.
Evison was unbeaten when the declaration did arrive with a little over an hour’s play remaining, and that was enough time for James to grab the important wicket of home captain Haines, caught by Patterson-White for 14.
Atkins fulfilled the role of nightwatchman for the remaining four overs, with the Green and Golds now entering the final day with their tails firmly up.
*******
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