A three-wicket burst from England paceman Stuart Broad kept Nottinghamshire in the hunt for victory over Kent at Trent Bridge.

But the visitors will also fancy their chances of a win thanks to a return of six for 75 from their South African seamer Ryan McLaren, which restricted Notts to 279 in their second innings.

Home skipper Chris Read continued his excellent start to the season with 88 and received support from former Kent stalwart Mark Ealham who made 39.

Broad's three wickets mean that the visitors' hopes will rest on acting captain Martin van Jaarsveld, who was 45 not out at the close with Kent 129 for four needing another 115 for victory.

After two exciting days of play, Notts resumed on 106 for two, a lead of 70, but struggled in the opening hour in the face of accurate and probing bowling from McLaren.

Overseas batsman Adam Voges eventually cracked and chased a wider delivery to hand Geraint Jones the first of five catches behind the stumps in the second innings.

McLaren and Jones teamed up in the right-armer's next two overs as well, with Samit Patel and Matt Wood both dismissed off defensive edges.

And the Notts middle-order collapse continued when Bilal Shafayat played on to Robbie Joseph, leaving the hosts reeling at 134 for six.

Read knuckled down with Broad to see off McLaren and then launched a thrilling counter-attack, including a straight six off James Tredwell after lunch.

But the off-spin of Tredwell eventually did for Broad when he edged to Justin Kemp at slip after making 20.

Read produced the best shot of the match when he dismissively pulled McLaren for six with the new ball, but he was then removed in the next over with an outstanding diving catch from Jones.

Ealham soon followed to Joseph, handing Jones his ninth catch of the match, and McLaren immediately claimed his sixth victim in Ryan Sidebottom to finish off the innings.

Tea was then taken and Sidebottom had Kent openers Joe Denly and Tredwell repeatedly playing and missing without reward.

The arrival of Broad brought the breakthrough, with Tredwell leg before, Denly caught driving in the slips for 35 and Matt Walker gloving an attempted hook to Read behind the stumps.

Momentum switched again with Van Jaarsveld's partnership of 54 in 10 overs before Darren Stevens drove loosely to the slips off Ealham.

And Van Jaarsveld will be hoping for more discipline from Kemp to help finish off the job in the morning.