Nottinghamshire 498 and 105 for 5 (Clarke 59*) lead Warwickshire 488 (Sibley 215*, Hain 76) by 115 runs
Dominic Sibley has delivered another timely reminder that he may be the man that England should turn to for their overseas Test match engagements this winter.
The 24-year old Warwickshire opener, who had already passed 1,000 runs in the Championship before this match, carried his bat with a chanceless knock of 215 not out as the visitors turned this contest around.
Responding to the home side's first-innings score of 498, the Bears replied with 488 and then put Notts under pressure in the final session.
Already condemned to relegation, Notts had high hopes of being able to force their first win of the campaign but they ended the day on 105 with half of their side back in the pavilion. Joe Clarke remains of the recognised top-order batsmen, unbeaten on 59.
Earlier, Sibley was at the crease for six and half hours and hit 30 boundaries from the 420 balls he faced. His effort was the first time a Warwickshire opener had carried his bat against Notts since Michael Powell in 1998.
Steven Mullaney, the Notts' captain, achieved figures of 4 for 48.
Resuming from their overnight score of 264 for 2, the visitors lost two wickets to the second new ball. Luke Fletcher, celebrating his 31st birthday, made the breakthrough, having Sam Hain caught at cover by Joey Evison for 76. Hain had helped Sibley add 160 for the third-wicket before being undone by the fourth delivery with the new cherry.
Three overs later 21-year old Jack Blatherwick, on debut, picked up his maiden first-class wicket by toppling the off-stump of Matt Lamb out of the ground.
Liam Banks played positively, making 41 from only 38 balls, before nicking Paul Coughlin behind, where Clarke, standing-in for Ben Duckett as wicketkeeper, took the catch. Duckett remained inside the dressing room throughout the Warwickshire innings, icing a badly-bruised hand in an effort to regain full fitness ahead of Vitality Blast Finals Day at the weekend.
Mullaney, who hasn't bowled for three months after a knee injury which eventually required surgery, picked up his four wickets on his return to bowling duties.
Michael Burgess, who reached 31 and added 76 with Sibley, was bowled, with Henry Brookes then lofting the home skipper to mid-off for eight. Jeetan Patel and Oliver Hannon-Dalby both departed for single figure scores, before Ravi Ashwin ended the innings with the wicket of George Garrett.
Sibley was allowed the luxury of having an extended tea interval, having been on the field for the entirety of the match. By the time he appeared, six overs in, Notts were in early trouble.
Mullaney, who made 179 on the first day, nicked Hannon-Dalby to slip for two and then same bowler dismissed Chris Nash lbw.
The lead was only 56 when Ben Compton was given out caught behind off Patel, having completed his first-class debut with scores of 14 and 13.
Duckett's overdue appearance on the field was short-lived and ill-judged as he shouldered arms to Garrett and spectacularly lost his off stump.
Hannon-Dalby was brought back for the dying embers of the day and delivered a fifth wicket for his side by bowling 17-year old Evison.
Clarke, who made 125 in the first innings, reached a second-innings 50 from 59 deliveries and will resume on the final morning alongside Paul Coughlin, with a lead of only 115.
