Lunch Report: Nottinghamshire 201 & 147-3 (29.3 overs) v Lancashire 113 & 233

Lunch on the third day (Lancashire won toss). Nottinghamshire (18 pts) beat Lancashire (3pts) by seven wickets

Lancashire's slender hope of pulling off an unlikely victory had probably disappeared even before Adam Voges provided some entertainment for a cool morning with a 42-ball half-century as Nottinghamshire knocked off the 112 more runs they needed to win.

Dominic Cork's failure to bowl more than one over of the nine negotiated by Nottinghamshire last night was explained when it emerged that the former England pace man was suffering from back spasms and could take no further part.

It left Lancashire, already without Jimmy Anderson because of the Test match and Andrew Flintoff, Glen Chapple, Oliver Newby, Kyle Hogg and Tom Smith through injury, with only one fit front-line seamer on the field in Saj Mahmood.

Newby had to field in place of Cork, which meant that when Mal Loye had to leave the field briefly Lancashire had to send on their physio, Sam Byrne, to make up the numbers. It seemed an apt comment on their predicament.

Mahmood rose to the challenge magnificently at first, taking a wicket with the opening ball of the day when nightwatchman Paul Franks, perhaps unluckily, was given out leg before by umpire Jon Holder, before striking again with the last ball of the same over, bending his back to rip out Matthew Wood's off stump.

But that was as good as it got for Lancashire before Voges, the Western Australia batsman signed as cover after David Hussey's contentious late decision to play in the Indian Premier League, led Notts comfortably across the line.

Attacking Mahmood with particular gusto, the 28-year-old right-hander raced to 69 not out off only 60 balls with 14 boundaries, Mark Wagh finishing unbeaten on 43 as Nottinghamshire wrapped up a seven-cicket victory 82 minutes into the seventh session of the match to maintain their lead in Division One of the Championship.