Joe Clarke became the first batter to reach 1,000 Rothesay County Championship runs this season as Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire swapped blows on another rain-affected day at Edgbaston.

After a first-day washout, Nottinghamshire were put in and reached 299 for seven among the rain-breaks as Clarke scored a high-class unbeaten 146 (212 balls), supported by a maiden first-class half-century by Ben Martindale (55, 82) and an important 32 (77) from Lyndon James.

Warwickshire’s seamers, led by the hard-working Ethan Bamber (20-6-63-2) bowled well for much of the day to ensure the batters had to remain vigilant as some intriguing cricket was threaded between the showers. With further rain forecast for the next two days, however, this enticing clash between third and first in Division One is likely to entail only a battle for bonus points.

Warwickshire were without the rested Chris Woakes but, after they chose to field, both opening bowlers struck early. Olly Hannon-Dalby forced Haseeb Hameed to edge to second slip where Rob Yates took his 25th catch of the season. Freddie McCann emulated his captain’s ten-ball duck when Bamber hit his off-stump.

At 17 for two, Martindale, deputising for the injured Ben Slater and playing only his second first-class match, needed to stay strong – and he did. Bolstered by three fours in a Bamber over, he and Clarke stabilised the innings with a stand of 88 in 23 overs. Martindale advanced to his half-century from 72 balls before falling in the last over before lunch. Dan Mousley called upon to supply the obligatory over of pre-interval spin, flighted a ball onto the 23-year-old’s toe to win an lbw decision.

Jack Haynes soon edged Bamber to offer Yates his 26th catch of the season and Kyle Verrynne was unlucky to be adjudged lbw to an Ed Barnard delivery which looked leg-side. That left the champions on an uneasy 148 for five but James settled in alongside Clarke whose 50th run came from his 92nd ball faced, whose 89th took him to 1,000 for the season and whose 28th first-class 100, and one of his best, came from 169 balls.

The sixth-wicket partnership added a diligent 72 from 23 overs, mostly in moderate light, before James feathered a pull at Michael Booth to wicketkeeper Alex Davies. Liam Patterson-White lifted Jordan Thompson to point but Clarke saved some of his best strokes for the final hour and New Zealand fast bowler Fraser Sheat, on his debut, prevented a late collapse with a punchy unbeaten 27 (40).