The LV= County Championship match between Sussex and Nottinghamshire remained intriguingly poised following another even day at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground.
Nottinghamshire were dismissed for 356 in the morning session, Chris Jordan claiming one of the two remaining scalps to become the top-flight’s outright leading wicket-taker with 31.
In reply, each of Sussex’s top eight reached double figures to help the hosts to 290 for six. Jordan was unbeaten on 21 at stumps, having shared an unbroken 41 with Ben Brown for the seventh wicket.
Jordan was quickly into his stride this morning and had Luke Fletcher, playing away from his body, held shoulder-high at second slip by Michael Yardy for his sixth wicket in the innings.
That left Notts, who had recovered from 112 for six to reach 321 for eight on day one, on the brink of being bowled out, but last man Harry Gurney hung around long enough to help Ajmal Shahzad to the fourth half-century of his career.
The former Yorkshire seamer was dropped at midwicket by Chris Nash on 42 and subsequently brought up his 50 by hooking Steve Magoffin for four, a shot that also secured a fourth batting point for the visitors.
Shahzad was last out, caught behind to give James Anyon his second wicket, but Notts' last four wickets had put on 244.
Nash and Luke Wells made a positive start to the reply, adding 72 in 21 overs, although the latter had a reprieve on four when he was badly dropped at third slip by Steven Mullaney off Fletcher.
After lunch Notts bowled with more control on a pitch still offering good pace and carry and managed to oust both home openers.
Nash was bowled via inside edge when Shahzad cut one back during a good spell down the slope and Wells mis-timed a drive to mid-off shortly after passing 50 for the third time this season to give Samit Patel the first of two wickets in addition to his opening-day 157 with the bat.
Ed Joyce and Yardy, Sussex's two most experienced batsmen, put on 58 in 17 overs either side of tea, only for Yardy, pictured above, to lose his off stump on 46 playing a loose drive at Shahzad.
Both Rory Hamilton-Brown and Luke Wright looked to play their naturally aggressive games but neither made much impression. Hamilton-Brown was well taken above his head by Alex Hales at slip slashing outside off stump at Shahzad and Wright was caught behind trying to cut Patel.
Sussex lost their sixth wicket on 249 when Gurney returned to the attack and immediately removed Joyce shortly after he had reached his third half-century of the season. The Irishman, who matched Wells’ 59, got in a tangle trying to pull a short ball that looped up to cover, having been dropped on 51 by Hales at slip off Patel.
Sussex were still 107 in arrears at that stage but Brown and Jordan batted positively against a tiring attack, the wicketkeeper hitting three boundaries in one over from Paul Franks.