A defiant captain's knock from Chris Read gave title-chasing Nottinghamshire hope of avoiding defeat against Hampshire, although they will still face a battle to save the draw on the final day.

Read hit an unbeaten 119 from 157 balls with 15 fours and two sixes for his fourth century of the season, as he helped the hosts reach 407 in their first innings to claim maximum batting points.

That had looked extremely unlikely at the start of play with the hosts 48 for four, but the Nottinghamshire middle and lower order once again provided useful runs, with Bilal Shafayat making 69 and Andre Adams 46.

But Nottinghamshire, 247 behind, can still expect to follow-on in the morning in the face of Hampshire's massive total of 654 for eight declared, with Imran Tahir taking four for 106.

While the Trent Bridge pitch had appeared unusually green at the start of the match, Hampshire's fourth highest ever total suggested the strip was ideal for batting and, despite the loss of four cheap wickets overnight, the remaining Nottinghamshire batsmen proved the point.

Not-out batsmen Samit Patel and Shafayat have both struggled for form over the season but the pair showed an impressive attitude in the face of an enormous deficit of 606.

Shafayat, restored to the middle order in the absence of Australian Adam Voges, looked particularly impressive, punishing anything short or on his legs.

Hampshire skipper Dimitri Mascarenhas was in the comfortable position of being able to rotate his bowlers and wait for wickets, with Patel the first to fall, lbw to Sean Ervine for 35 after 20 overs of play.

A Shafayat hook to the square-leg boundary brought up his first championship half century of the season and it was not until after lunch that the next breakthrough came, with the 25-year-old edging a drive to wicketkeeper Tom Burrows off David Griffiths.

Ali Brown made 39 before he was lbw to a top-spinner from Imran Tahir, and veteran Mark Ealham helped Read put on 69 for the eighth wicket in only 14 overs before he cut Griffiths to point for 32.

Adams has a reputation as a big hitter who can play rash shots but the New Zealander reined himself in to assist Read in his pursuit of a century.

The pair added 97, enough time for Read to bring up three figures by pulling Ervine for four, before Adams was caught at mid-on off Imran Tahir.

A Read six over cover secured the fifth batting point before Charlie Shreck was last to fall with Griffiths removing his off-stump.