Nottinghamshire 240 (84.4 overs) and 149-7 (52 overs)
Sussex 358 (110.2 overs)
Nottinghamshire (3 points) lead Sussex (6 points) by 31 runs with 3 wickets remaining
Sussex bowler Ari Karvelas took four wickets either side of tea to leave Nottinghamshire’s chances of retaining their Championship title hanging by a thread.
The 32-year-old answered an SOS from his old county last month and delayed taking up a new job teaching cricket at Solihull School.
And it looked like a good decision during a spell of 3-17 from 10 overs which included the in-form Joe Clarke for the second time in the match.
He finished with 4-34 and Nottinghamshire closed on 149-7 – a lead of just 31 – after Jaydev Unadkat collected three late wickets in 14 balls.
Until Karvelas came back into the attack, Nottinghamshire had enjoyed a period of superiority for the first time in the game.
They picked up a third bowling bonus point from the last available ball in running through Sussex’s last four wickets for just eight runs in 23 deliveries to keep their first-innings deficit down to 118.
The loss of 36 overs to rain before lunch did not help their efforts to keep the pressure on leaders Warwickshire who had their feet up after beating Essex in two days.
Similarly, a win for Sussex gives them a great chance of a top-three finish and Karvelas, challenging both edges of the bat and finding bounce from the Cromwell Road end that has eluded the other seamers in this match, has certainly boosted their hopes.
Nottinghamshire had no choice but to start their second innings positively and openers Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater serenely added 52.
But there was nothing Slater could do when Karvelas got one to lift alarmingly off a good length and wicketkeeper John Simpson did the rest.
Hameed was reprieved on 23 when George Thomas put down a straightforward chance at backward point off Sean Hunt. But Hunt and Tom Price built pressure before Karvelas returned to make the key incisions.
Hameed cut to gully on 43 and Karvelas’s ability to find extra bounce was evident again when Clarke edged to second slip off the shoulder of the bat – Karvelas’s 100th first-class wicket.
Freddie McCann became his fourth victim courtesy of a fine diving catch by Simpson off an expansive drive with Notts still in arrears and when Karvelas came off there was no respite.
His replacement Unadkat struck with his first ball which Jack Haynes wafted to backward point before he took out Olly Stone’s middle and leg stumps in his next over.
Simpson then dived full length to his right to take another superb catch off Liam Patterson-White’s inside edge.
Earlier, it had been a decent effort by Nottinghamshire’s bowlers to make relatively short work of the Sussex tail when play started at 1.30pm, especially as Price and Jack Carson, who both made half-centuries, had extended their seventh-wicket stand to 92 in 25 overs.
Price’s 72 contained nine fours and looked good for a few more when he tried to run Stone off the bat face to third man but edged to first slip.
Carson hit nine fours in his 53 but in trying to steer Brett Hutton into the leg side he got a leading edge to point.
There were extended celebrations when Notts struck with the final ball of the 110th over to claim the ninth wicket and a third point when Karvelas drove Hutton to mid-on where Hameed took a good low catch.
In the next over, left-arm spinner Patterson-White got one to turn sharply off a middle-stump line and bowl Unadkat. Hutton finished with 4-59 but his side are up against it going into the final day.
Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed said: “We fronted up well with the ball this morning and then started off ok when we batted.
“I was disappointed with the way I got out and, unfortunately, that opened the way for Sussex to get on top in the game.
“I never doubt the effort or commitment from the boys. They always give 100 per cent every day but, unfortunately, we find ourselves up against it tomorrow.
“The message for tomorrow is that we’ve got to fight our corner and try to get back into this game. I know the character and skill are there and we’re going to have to do it again.”
Karvelas said: “I feel so blessed to be back here and (to have had) the support I have had from the boys and Paul Farbrace. And it’s great to be back out there.
“I was laughing with (skipper) Tom Haines at one stage because he kept asking if I wanted to bowl another over.
“And I felt in such great rhythm that I carried on – and there were some brilliant catches as well which always helps.
“We are going to have to bowl well again tomorrow to get the job done but it would be great if we could beat a quality side like Notts.”
