NOTTINGHAMSHIRE made a solid start as they tried to overcome a 103-run deficit against Worcestershire in their County Championship Division Two clash at Trent Bridge.

Resuming on 39-1, skipper Darren Bicknell and Australian Greg Blewett had little trouble early on against pacemen Alamgir Sheriyar and Andy Bichel.

After 11 overs of the third day's play, they had moved on to 70-1 -- still 33 runs behind -- with Blewett on 33 and Bicknell on 17.

Yesterday, Anurag Singh batted Worcestershire to a healthy first innings lead with a battling career-best 88.

Resuming unbeaten on 60, Singh knuckled down to survive a fearsome opening burst from Greg Smith, adding just a single in the first half-hour.

But he then played some handsome drives and was only denied a first championship century by a ball from Richard Logan which pitched and left him and removed the off bail.

Though he has hit four first-class hundreds in university matches, Singh was very disappointed to have missed out on the landmark, even though he had hit 13 fours in almost four hours at the crease.

The home side fought back well after a disastrous first day but it was Andrew Harris who struck first, having David Leatherdale caught at the wicket.

Singh was next to go with the score on 200 and Steve Rhodes followed in the most unfortunate manner in the following over -- run out at the non-striker's end without facing a ball when bowler Nadeem Malik deflected a Bichel straight drive on to the stumps.

Bichel was playing like a man in a hurry and blasted away to reach 50 from just 38 balls including 10 fours.

But he was running out of partners at the other end and was last man out three balls after lunch for 53 with Worcestershire on 252.

Only 10 more overs were possible as rain interrupted and then brought an early finish with Nottinghamshire reaching 39 for the loss of John Morris, who was bowled off the inside edge for the second time in the match by a fine inswinger from Sheriyar.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire today revealed that opener Philip Weston and paceman Sheriyar have signed two-year extensions to their contracts.

New Road Director of Cricket Tom Moody said: "This is further good news for the County following the decision about Graeme Hick.

"Philip and Sheri are both key players within the team and their decision to commit for a further two years is indicative of the way the club is progressing."

Weston made his debut for the County in 1991 and was capped in 1995.

He has scored more than 8,000 runs and 15 centuries in first-class cricket.

Sheriyar moved to New Road in 1996 from Leicestershire and was the country's leading wicket-taker in 1999. He was capped in 1997 and has taken more than over 300 first-class wickets.