Imran Tahir smashed through the Somerset line-up, taking seven wickets to give Notts a fighting chance in their County Championship match.
In all honesty, Notts are fighting for a draw, but they would have been fighting for survival had not Imran stepped up to snap off the Somerset tail and remove their top-scorer, Marcus Trescothick, on 218.
He had made early inroads after Notts had posted 401 in their first innings, bowling his compatriot Johann Myburgh (51) after Somerset had put on an opening stand of 123. Notts were under pressure when Somerset were 400-5, but the leg-break googly spinner found his length and rhythm.
At that stage, he had 2-96 off 25 overs. Then he snapped up Peter Trego for 23, and in 11.4 overs, took 5-16. He finished the innings by having Trescothick caught, after he had hammered 31 fours and one six in his 355-ball innings.
When he dismissed Craig Overton, Tahir became the first Notts bowler to take a five-for since Stuart MacGill – another leg-break googly artist – in 2004.
At the close, though, Notts were not out of danger, at 58-2, a lead of 22.
Elsewhere, Kagiso Rabada was having a similarly influential day, taking 3-81 off 28 overs for in Sussex. Kent had piled up 575 and with one day to go needed to force a follow-on.
Rabada was the stand-out bowler, going at just 2.89 an over as Sussex battled their way to 333 all out at the close of play. Rabada is likely to be back in action on the final day.
