Rossington, Willey shake Nottinghamshire

Adam Rossington and David Willey helped Northamptonshire celebrate one of their better days of a troubled Division One season as they seized the initiative against title-chasing Nottinghamshire.

Rossington scored 103, his maiden championship hundred, as his side posted 260 all out before Willey picked up three crucial top-order wickets to leave Nottinghamshire's reply in disarray on 38 for 4 at Wantage Road.

Rossington, 21, on loan from Middlesex, scored his runs from 124 deliveries, hitting 13 fours and two sixes, enabling his new county to recover from a position of 108 for 6 during the early part of the afternoon session.

Rossington was eventually bowled by Ajmal Shahzad, two deliveries after launching the same bowler high over deep square-leg to move to the second first-class century of his career.

With 18 overs to face at the end of the day Nottinghamshire's innings got off to a dreadful start as Willey bowled Alex Hales and then had Steven Mullaney caught behind in his first over.

Worse was to follow as the visitors were reduced to 25 for 4 as a misjudgement from James Taylor resulted in him being given out lbw to Mohammad Azharullah before Samit Patel nudged Willey to second slip.

With both sides having been in floodlit one-day action the previous evening, the start time had been put back until midday and Chris Read wasted little time in inserting the home county once he had won the toss.

James Kettleborough had provided Notts with the initial breakthrough, flicking back onto his own stumps as he tried to leave alone a ball from Harry Gurney.

James Middlebrook and Kyle Coetzer then combined in a second wicket stand of 50 as Northants reached 88 for 2 at lunch but the wheels came off spectacularly after the interval as the home county lost four wickets in quick succession, three of them to Andre Adams, who ended with figures of 3 for 60 from his 20 overs.

Matt Spriegel and Willey both scored 19 and offered good support for Rossington, who then began to farm the strike and monopolise the scoring in stands of 26 with Neil Wagner and 33 with Azharullah. Gurney, who took 3 for 68, removed New Zealand international Wagner, who failed to score on his debut.

Without a championship win so far this season Northants were pressing for further wickets towards the end of the day but were held at bay by Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels before bad light came to Nottinghamshire's rescue 3.2 overs early.