Nottinghamshire's hopes of aiding their Specsavers County Championship survival hopes with an unlikely draw against Yorkshire were boosted by the weather at Scarborough.
Needing to chase 452 for victory or bat out a minimum of 175 overs to save the game, the visitors moved to 61 for three before heavy rain curtailed play for the day midway through the afternoon session.
Tom Moores proved to be the main barrier between victory for Yorkshire, with the youngster marking his debut with a career-best 41 not out.
And the rain raised fresh questions regarding Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance's decision not to enforce the follow-on on day two as the Tykes look to close the gap on Division One leaders Middlesex with victory in their game in hand.
Yorkshire began the day leading by 388 on 200 for four, and they batted for 12.2 overs following a 40-minute delay as Ballance brought up a 29th first-class century.
Having resumed on 75, the England batsman moved through to his three figures from 163 balls having hit 14 fours. He shared in an unbroken stand of 69 with Tim Bresnan, who himself hit five fours and a six in an unbeaten 35.
The declaration came moments after Ballance celebrated the milestone on 263 for four, leaving Nottinghamshire five overs before lunch to bat out.
However, Jack Brooks struck with just his third ball as Steven Mullaney edged to Jack Leaning in the slips.
Youngsters Jake Libby and Moores were then tasked with seeing off the new ball, and they batted with admirable defensive technique until Bresnan swung the pendulum back in Yorkshire's favour.
He removed Libby with the first ball of his spell as Jake Lehmann took a tumbling catch at fourth slip before Michael Lumb feathered an edge through to Andrew Hodd five balls later to register a pair against his former county.
Moores, however, continued to relish the responsibility of batting at number three for the first time in Championship cricket as he played some eye-catching strokes, including an imperious straight drive off the bowling of Steven Patterson.
He and Brendan Taylor were at the crease when the umpires decided the light was bad enough for play to be abandoned, and the heavy rain which followed brought about a premature finish to a day in which 58 overs were lost.
Source: PA
