GRAEME van Buuren and Thornbury’s Chris Dent helped Gloucestershire to stop Nottinghamshire's hopes of opening a commanding lead at the top of the Specsavers County Championship Second Division table.

South African van Buuren registered a match-saving 88 not out and reached four thousand first-class runs in the process as Gloucestershire batted throughout the final day to post 254-5 in their second innings and secure a notable draw.

It was a great response from Gloucestershire who had been hammered by an innings and fifty runs defeat inside three days at Trent Bridge at the end of last month.

Gloucestershire made 303 all out in their first innings, with a 96 contribution from the returning Gareth Roderick and others through the batting order, particularly by bowler Craig Miles, who struck 47.

But Nottinghamshire batted on and on in reply, making a massive 535-8 declared with Gloucestershire unable to get rid of number four Samit Patel who hit an enormous unbeaten 257.

So Gloucestershire were faced with another defeat unless they could bat out the final day.

And, having deployed every weapon within his extensive armoury to little avail, Nottinghamshire captain Chris Read had no option but to shake hands at 5.23pm for the draw.

And it was credit to Dent and van Buuren as they dug in to keep Gloucestershire in the match The East Midlands county looked set to increase their advantage over nearest rivals Kent and Worcestershire when reducing Gloucestershire to 35-3 shortly following the resumption of play on the final day.

Still trailing the unbeaten leaders by 197 with seven second innings wickets standing, the home side found themselves lodged firmly between a rock and a hard place.

Yet that was as close as Nottinghamshire came to forcing a result, frustrated as they were by notable contributions from Dent, van Buuren and Phil Mustard.

Determined to redress the balance after conceding a first innings deficit of 232, Gloucestershire applied themselves diligently with the bat..

Van Buuren summoned defiance aplenty in an admirably patient innings.

He batted for five hours, faced 242 balls, struck nine fours and a six and shared in restorative stands of 91 and 92 with Dent and Mustard for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively to steer his team to safety.

Having chiselled fifty from 170 balls and withstood a stern examination from eight different bowlers, a series of attacking fields and the second new ball, van Buuren refused to drop his guard and saw the job through to the end, turning down the chance to pursue three figures in the interests of the team..

Dent will no doubt be kicking himself after missing out on a hundred that appeared to be his for the asking. The left-handed opener had done the hard work in raising 71 from 147 balls when he inexplicably played across the line to a straight one from Brett Hutton and was given out lbw.

Any thoughts Nottinghamshire's bowlers might have harboured of running through the lower middle order and tail were effectively sabotaged by van Buuren and Mustard, who remained at large for 32 overs to frustrate the visitors.

Mustard clipped Luke Fletcher to Jake Libby at point for 39 to suggest the prospect of an exciting climax, but van Buuren and Jack Taylor closed the door on any such notion, staging an unbroken partnership of 36 for the sixth wicket.