NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S batsmen enjoyed a dominant day as they got themselves into a great position to beat Northamptonshire.
They have recovered from 25 for four to close on 384 for eight, a lead of 124 going into day three at Wantage Road.
Riki Wessels made 71 and Chris Read 59 before Luke Fletcher and Ajmal Shahzad tucked into poor bowling to further demoralise a side which is rock bottom of Division One.
Shahzad was unbeaten on 65 at the close, while Fletcher fell for 49 as they put on 114 for the eighth wicket.
The main disappointment of sorts was for Michael Lumb, who missed out on his first century of the season in the cruellest of circumstances as he went for a superb 99.
However, Lumb's diligence alongside first Wessels and then Read earned what is a massive lead as batting remains testing when the ball is put in the right areas.
Lumb and Wessels put on 133 to recover from 38 for four at the start of the day. A ton would have been fitting reward for Lumb, who has been on an upward curve in terms of form after a difficult first half of the season.
However, his dismissal represented the 10th time Notts have lost a wicket in the 90s in the County Championship this season.
Lumb said: "I would definitely have taken 99 after the season I've had and the position we were in. We've turned the game round.
"It was a great effort. We've set the game up nicely. I've was devastated to get out when you've worked that hard but I'm still really happy with the lead we have.
"There is still plenty in the pitch. They beat the bat a lot. If we turn up tomorrow and put the ball in the right area there is plenty there."
Notts were in need of a good morning to drag themselves out of the mire on the back of a couple of questionable umpiring decisions late on day one.
A cool approach from Wessels and Lumb took the visitors to 158 before Wessels was bowled by a good ball from Azharullah, the pick of the bowlers in the first session, shortly before lunch.
Read started cautiously but accelerated after getting himself in. His 50 came off 114 balls with the last 42 runs from 40 deliveries.
He was unable to press on for his first century of the season though as he was trapped in front by Andrew Hall.
That came shortly after Lumb had gone one short of his hundred when he nicked behind a good ball from the pedestrian medium pace of Kyle Coetzer.
At that stage Notts had a precarious lead of nine, but Fletcher and Shahzad went a long way to making their upcoming task with the ball far easier.
Fletcher was bowled by James Middlebrook one short of a half century with Andre Adams unbeaten on two at stumps.
