DAVID Leatherdale and Steve Rhodes shared an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 242 to keep Worcestershire in their promotion battle with Nottinghamshire.

The home side began the day 0.25 points behind Worcestershire in the table, but after posting 404 in their first innings, Notts looked like overtaking their opponents when they reduced them to 120 for six in reply.

Leatherdale (110 not out) and Rhodes (122 not out) used their experience to guide the visitors past the follow-on target. Both, however, fell with the score on 376 today -- Rhodes for 124 and Leatherdale for 120 --as Worcestershire just missed out on the fourth batting point at 397 all out.

Worcestershire's innings began badly when Andy Harris made an early breakthrough, dismissing opener Stephen Peters for eight, caught and bowled.

It could have been even better for Harris when the other Worcestershire opener, Anurag Singh, edged to second slip, where Stuart MacGill spilled the chance.

Graeme Hick hit a quick-fire 25 to help his side to 59-1 at lunch, but just when he looked set for a big score, the former England man departed off the first ball of the second over after the interval, pulling Harris straight to Guy Welton.

The departure of Hick gave Nottinghamshire the opportunity to hammer home their advantage, and that they did with a disciplined spell of bowling.

Paul Franks got rid of Ben Smith for 14 and had Singh caught behind for 44. Leg-spinner MacGill tempted Vikram Solanki on nine and Franks dismissed Gareth Batty to leave Worcestershire struggling at 120-6.

With their whole season probably resting on this game, veteran pair Leatherdale and Rhodes came to the wicket under extreme pressure.

However, the pair of gritty Yorkshiremen played as if they did not have a care in the world, cutting and pulling anything short and sweeping MacGill.

Leatherdale was first to his half-century with a classy cover drive off Harris, and wicketkeeper Rhodes followed him past 50, thumping a half-volley from Franks to the cover fence.

Leatherdale brought up a superb century in typical fashion with a crashing drive off Harris, and Rhodes followed him to three figures with a quick single off Greg Smith shortly after.

Earlier Notts, resuming on 344-7, added another 60 runs to their total for the remaining three wickets. Young paceman Kabir Ali took all three wickets to finish with 4-117.