Nottinghamshire are closing in on a second victory of the season, with a potential top spot in Division One within reach, as Leicestershire face an uphill battle to avoid defeat at Uptonsteel Grace Road.

After being bowled out for 308 in their first innings—trailing by 182 and forced to follow on—Leicestershire looked destined for a quick finish. A defiant century from Stevie Eskinazi briefly gave the home side hope, but Nottinghamshire’s bowling attack, led by Olly Stone, kept the pressure on. Stone added 3-34 in the second innings to his first-innings 5-68, leaving Leicestershire at 131-6 before a recovery partnership steadied the ship.

Jonny Tattersall (61) and Ben Green combined for an 81-run stand for the seventh wicket, staving off an innings defeat. However, Tattersall’s dismissal just before the close left Leicestershire at 215-7, with a slender lead of just 33 runs and only three wickets in hand.

Eskinazi’s knock was the highlight of the day for Leicestershire. The former Middlesex batter batted for nearly five hours to reach exactly 100, rescuing his side from a precarious 112-7. His partnership with New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel, who scored a career-best 62, added 120 runs for the ninth wicket—a record for Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire in that position. The stand was a testament to the fight in the home side, but Eskinazi later fell for a second-innings duck, underscoring the fragility of their lineup.

Nottinghamshire had their East Midlands rivals eight down and 344 runs behind with 16 overs left on day two, but it took until lunch on day three to claim the final two wickets. With Stone in fine form and the visitors needing just three more wickets, all eyes are on the final day. For Leicestershire, last season’s Division Two winners, a second home defeat of the season looms large unless their lower order can mount another rescue act.