NOTTS are sliding towards defeat at lunch on the third day of their County Championship match with title rivals Yorkshire.

Having been set 209 to win, the visitors powered along to 65-0 in 12 overs with very little cause for concern.

Left-handers Adam Lyth (31 not out) and Jacques Rudolph (27 not out) have underlined their reputation as one of the best opening partnerships in the county game.

They posted a fifty stand in just 52 balls as Luke Fletcher, Darren Pattinson and Andre Adams all struggled to make their mark.

The White Rose County now need only 144 more runs to seal the win to move within seven points of Notts going into the final round of games next week.

Earlier, the hosts had resumed on 357-6 in their second innings and added a further 56 in the first hour.

Nightwatchman Pattinson (27) was first to go as he shouldered arms to Steven Patterson and was out lbw.

Chris Read and Steven Mullaney took Notts past the 400 mark and to 200 in front before the last three wickets fell quickly.

Mullaney (15) was bowled by one from Patterson that looked to have kept slightly low.

Read (47) soon followed attempting a drive off Shahzad but the ball clattered into his off and middle stumps.

And, After Luke Fletcher (8) had struck two boundaries, he was undone by a clever Shahzad slower ball.