Former Oswestry batsman Joe Clarke hits double hundred as Nottinghamshire salvage draw with Warwickshire

Thanks to Clarke's marathon unbeaten 229, spanning eight hours and 38 minutes, Nottinghamshire clawed back a deficit of 416 on first innings after following on to deal a blow to Warwickshire's title ambitions.

The Bears climbed to second in the Division One table but have ground to make up on defending champions Surrey, whose extraordinary win over Kent gave them a 32-point lead, albeit from seven matches to Warwickshire's six.

Clarke was dropped at slip on 128 in the morning session - a difficult chance though one that needed to be taken on a slow, flat track where opportunities for the bowlers were in short supply.

There were few errors otherwise from Clarke, who hit 35 fours and a six from 365 balls faced.

Chris Rushworth took three for 73 and Hasan Ali two for 68 but the resolution shown by Nottinghamshire's lower-order batters was crucial.

Having resumed with a deficit of 149 and the second new ball available two overs into the final morning, Nottinghamshire knew that if they could emerge from the opening session without sustaining too much damage, their chances of seeing out a draw would rise.

And they achieved their objective, reaching lunch with just one casualty and Warwickshire's advantage down to 75.

The one man out was captain Steven Mullaney, who was bowled offering no shot as Rushworth found rare deviation off the pitch in the 10th over with the new ball, which zipped back to hit off stump.

The Clarke let-off came three overs later, the batter slashing at one outside off stump from Will Rhodes and the ball flying through Rob Yates' hands at slip and to the boundary.

Unruffled, Clarke took two off the next ball to go past his previous best for Nottinghamshire (133).

He swept Danny Briggs for the first six of his innings and was on 166 from 341 for five at lunch.

Rushworth made things happen again after the interval, bowling Tom Moores with a ball that kept low. At 361 for six, the home side were still 55 behind, with Warwickshire sensing an opportunity.

But Clarke found another resolute partner in Calvin Harrison, who was playing in only his second championship match yet was unfazed even as Warwickshire at times brought every fielder close in.

Clarke swept his 318th ball faced to the boundary off Briggs to go to 203, a moment that saw sustained applause from the home team balcony while the batter, determined to see the job through to the end, briefly raised his bat in acknowledgement of spectators.

Nottinghamshire moved into the lead for the first time in the match shortly afterwards and were 20 in front at tea with 36 overs to play, still time for Warwickshire to seal a win if they could break the seventh-wicket partnership.

But another important chance was missed, with the lead just 40 and 30 overs remaining, when Harrison miscued a pull against Rushworth but was dropped on the long-leg boundary by Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

Warwickshire skipper Rhodes offered his handshake on a draw at 5pm, with Harrison finishing on 38 not out off 142 deliveries.