Unless the weather cruelly intervenes Notts seem likely to complete a fourth innings victory over Derbyshire early on the final morning. A successful day saw them dismiss their local rivals for 221 and chasing a winning target of 220 they reached 172-3 by the close, with Greg Blewett unbeaten on 76, just 48 runs away from their third Championship win of the season.

The Notts pursuit got off to the worst possible start when they lost skipper Darren Bicknell, lbw in Graeme Welch's first over.

Blewett began confidently though, racing into the 20's with a succession of crisp drives, but Guy Welton struggled and it was no surprise when Derbyshire removed him cheaply. Having made just 6 in 12 overs he misread the line from Kevin Dean and also fell leg before.

With the prospect of a rest day ahead Blewett stormed to his 50 (79 mins 66 balls 11x4's) by driving Trevor Smith for three successive offside boundaries.

Paul Johnson, for the second time in the match, was dropped first ball – by Wharton at midwicket off Dean. He then made the visitors pay by accompanying Blewett in what should prove to be a match-winning stand of 128.

At one stage it seemed certain that Notts would wrap up the win inside three days but an improvement in the accuracy of the bowling and the lengthening of the evening shadows combined to persuade the home side not to ask for an extra half hour.

Johnson brought up his own half century with a pulled four off Wharton (107 mins 73 balls 8x4's) and then accelerated into the 60's but on 65, in the penultimate scheduled over of the day, he chopped Dean onto his stumps.

Earlier Nadeem Malik had a day to remember for Notts. The 18 year old seamer collected 5-57, his first senior five wicket haul, as Derbyshire crumbled from 149-2 to 221 all out. Michael Di Venuto followed his first innings score of 165 with a classy 93 before falling to Richard Logan, who picked up three wickets to go with his first innings 6-93.

© CricInfo