Afzaal and Morris dominate for Notts

Usman Afzaal advanced his claims for a place in the Third Test at Trent Bridge next week with a century as he and John Morris slaughtered the Derbyshire bowling.

Afzaal, who played in the First Test at Edgbaston, made 138 and shared a stand of 316 in 63 overs with Morris who followed his decision to retire at the end of the season with a brilliant hundred.

It was the 51st of his first-class career and the second against Derbyshire, the county he played for from 1982-93.

Derbyshire could not contain him on a flat pitch and he and Afzaal raced along at five an over as the temperatures rose into the eighties.

They came together just before lunch and were not parted until deep into the final session when Afzaal pulled Rob Bailey's gentle off-spin into the hands of mid-wicket.

Afzaal had earlier offered two hard chances but Morris did not put a foot wrong as he cruised to his hundred which came off 116 balls and contained 14 fours and two sixes.

A third six, driven over long on off Bailey, brought up his 150, easily his best score for Nottinghamshire, and he advanced to 170 before he was run out by Dominic Cork's throw from mid on.

The 37-year-old had batted for 248 minutes, hitting 22 fours and three sixes in an innings which earned him a standing ovation and put the visitors in complete control of the game.

Although Kevin Pietersen was lbw without scoring shortly before Morris was dismissed, Nottinghamshire were 478-6 at the close.