Highlights from day three at Trent Bridge
A century from Ed Joyce helped Sussex seize the initiative on the third day of their LV= County Championship Division One match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
The visitors closed on 244 for three in their second innings, an overall lead of 222 after they had bowled Notts out for 413 in their first innings.
Joyce, five days short of his 36th birthday, stroked his eighth first-class century of the season in making an unbeaten 115, scoring his runs from 117 balls with 12 fours and three maximums.
The Sussex captain had made an unbeaten 204 on the same ground last season and combined with Chris Nash to put on 152 for the second wicket.
Nash, who made 178 in the first innings, seemed on course for a second century in the match before nicking Luke Fletcher behind for 85.
The pair had come together after opener Michael Yardy had fallen cheaply, giving Fletcher his 200th first-class wicket. That was the end of the good news as far as the afternoon session went for Notts as Nash and Joyce rattled along at more than five runs an over in putting on 136 in 22.4 overs before tea.
STUMPS on Day 3. Sussex end on 244-3 with a lead of 222. Joyce is not out on 115. #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 17, 2014
Both batsmen reached their fifty in the same over - the 22nd, bowled by Keedy. Joyce got there from 52 balls, with seven fours and a six, and Nash followed two balls later, getting there from 61 balls with eight fours.
Notts had begun the penultimate day on 310 for three, trailing by 81 but they lost Riki Wessels, to Chris Jordan, without adding to his overnight 15.
James Taylor, unbeaten on 101 at the start of the day, eventually fell for 126 with his runs coming from 189 balls with 16 fours.
Steve Magoffin, who finished with 4-72, claimed the wicket of the centurion, leaving Samit Patel and Chris Read to try and steer the home side towards an overall lead.
That they got there owed much to Sussex's failure to take their chances. Patel, remarkably, was dropped three times in a row off Lewis Hatchett.
A regulation nick was put down by Jordan at first slip, wicketkeeper Ben Brown spilt the second and then Joyce, at point, put down his third catch of the innings from the next ball. The third miss enabled a single to be taken to give the home side a narrow lead but Patel's luck ran out in the next over.
Wicket: Fletch claims his 200th first class wicket, Michael Yardy guiding him to Samit Patel at second slip. 10-1 #NottsvSuss
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 17, 2014
With eight needed from it, to secure a fifth batting point, he charged towards Ashar Zaidi and was comprehensively stumped for 41.
Hatchett's fortunes changed, bowling Read via a deflection onto the leg stump to leave Notts with a lead of just seven at lunch.
Magoffin picked up his fourth wicket, that of Fletcher, in his first over of the afternoon and Hatchett's fortunes changed as he quickly removed both Harry Gurney and Gary Keedy to end with figures of 4-99.
Seven wickets had gone down for 103 runs by that point but the batsman then prospered in the second part of the day, with Joyce reaching his seventh career century against Notts before deteriorating light brought an early conclusion with 13.3 overs still to be bowled.
Hatchett was pleased with his four wickets after seeing the three drops from his bowling.
He said: "I didn't bowl that well yesterday but it went a little better today and I was pleased to get the wickets I did.
"The three drops is something I've never seen before and guess not many other people have either. I hope it doesn't ever happen again but the boys have been catching so well this season - it was just a freak thing really."
For Notts' 19-year-old Wood, it was a debut to remember, as he said: "It's been a bit strange, I'm not used to coming in and bowling to the likes of Ed Joyce and Chris Nash but I'm very pleased with how it's gone so far and hope it can continue to go well on the final day.
"It's obviously everyone's dream to make their first class debut and to do it at Trent Bridge, I'm delighted."