Three teams could still clinch the County Championship Division Two title, with Nottinghamshire and Essex battling into the final day at Chelmsford.

Bilal Shafayat's 70 helped Nottinghamshire set the home side a tough target of 340

But Essex reached 129 for two at the close of the third day, needing another 211 to win.

A winner in this game would secure the title, and a cheque for �40,000, but Middlesex could cling on to top spot if the match ends in a draw.

Essex lost two wickets before the close, with Darren Robinson bowled by Paul Franks and John Stephenson chopping onto his own stumps off Stuart MacGill.

But opener Will Jefferson batted superbly to make an unbeaten 71 and dangerman Mark Waugh was still there on 29.

Having slumped to 147 for six at lunch, Nottinghamshire turned things around, Shafayat and Franks putting on 87 for the eighth wicket.

Earlier, Paul Johnson's career as a Notts batsman came to a close after 21 years when he top-edged Graham Napier to wicket-keeper James Foster for 13.

But it was enough to take Johnson up to 10th in the list of Nottinghamshire's first-class scorers, with a grand total of 20,518 runs.

Essex: D D J Robinson, W I Jefferson, J P Stephenson, M E Waugh, A Habib, A P Grayson (Capt), J S Foster (Wkt), J M Dakin, J D Middlebrook, G R Napier, J B Grant.

Nottinghamshire: J E R Gallian (Capt), G E Welton, D J Bicknell, U Afzaal, B M Shafayat, P Johnson, C M W Read (Wkt), P J Franks, S C G MacGill, G J Smith, A J Harris.