With another extraordinary batting display at Lord's by Kevin Pietersen which took him to 65 not out from only 46 balls, following his unbeaten 165 in the first innings, Nottinghamshire were able to declare on 252 for eight, setting Middlesex a victory target of 350 in the remaining three overs for the day and all of the final day.

In a brilliant exhibition of hard hitting, Pietersen, taking advantage of the short boundary on the Tavern side of the ground, struck four boundaries and four sixes, three of which came in four balls from an over by Paul Weekes.

Despite hitting himself on the foot in going for an on drive and needing the services of a runner, he continued with his onslought on the Middlesex bowling, reaching fifty from only 34 balls. The tall - England qualified - South African showed a complete range of strokes and the ease and confidence with which he batted enabled him to even play the reverse sweep so effectively.

Having taken a 97-run first innings lead, Nottinghamshire were 129 for 2 at tea with Greg Blewett on 61 after a fine batting performance. A second wicket stand between him and Darren Bicknell had strengthened the visitors hold on this match.

After claiming the wicket of Guy Welton, before lunch, Middlesex's only success in the second session came when Bicknell, on 44 from two hours at the crease, went for a big heave at Paul Weekes and was bowled. His stand with Blewett was just nine short of a century.

They had batted well together, keeping pace with each other in the rate of scoring and Blewett, who was 41 at Bicknell's dismissal, then brought up his half-century in style, going down on one knee to lift Weekes over the mid-wicket boundary. He finally went for 76, off 144 balls, top edging an attempted big hit to leg.

The most commendable bowling for Middlesex came from left-arm spinner Phil Tufnell who finished with five for 61 and that included a marvellous twenty-ball spell in which he took four wickets for eight.

Earlier, Middlesex had needed just eleven overs in the morning to achieve their priority of avoiding the follow-on. Having scored the 45 runs that they required for this, David Nash and Simon Cook, the two overnight not out batsmen then went on to extend their excellent seventh wicket partnership with Nash reaching his second half-century of the season.

Along with Cook he took the total to 320 before edging one to first slip and ending a 114-run stand. Cook went on to reach the highest score of his career, playing beautiful strokes, the finest was the cover drive for four off Andy Harris after he had steered the previous ball to the third man boundary. He had by then struck the second six of his innings when he lifted Greg Smith over long leg.

Middlesex were dismissed shortly before lunch for 370 with Cook stranded on 93 which included eleven fours from 131 balls.

© CricInfo