County Championship: Nottinghamshire close in on win over Leicestershire

Nottinghamshire’s seam attack had been made to work for longer than anticipated. Nonetheless, with a fresh bowler at his disposal in James Hayes, now confirmed as injury replacement for Brett Hutton, sidelined with a calf strain, skipper Haseeb Hameed enforced the follow-on.

For an hour and a quarter, there were few signs of an early breakthrough. Rishi Patel and Jake Weatherald, naturally positive, found the boundaries regularly, Patel in particular. He moved to 53 from 62 balls with his ninth four.

But the tide began to turn when all-rounder James removed both openers in the space of five deliveries. Patel, defending, nicked to first slip; Weatherald, shaping to cut, was caught behind off a steepling top edge.

The two had shared a partnership of 99 runs for the first wicket. It was a solid start but one that rapidly unravelled as another incisive spell by Stone claimed three wickets in the space of 21 balls.

Bowling from the Bennett End, at which he had proved so effective on day two, Stone’s away movement had Ian Holland caught at third slip and Lewis Hill at first slip, before he brought one back to have Eskinazi leg before, having seen him dropped at first slip moments earlier.

At tea, Leicestershire were 131-5, still 51 in arrears, and suffered another setback at the start of the final session as Ben Cox missed his sweep attempt and was leg before to the left-arm spin of Liam Patterson-White.

But Green and Tattersall, who was caught at first slip off Patterson-White in the day’s penultimate over after batting for almost two and a half hours, at least ensured Nottinghamshire would need to bat a second time.