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.

However, Leatherdale (110 not out) and Rhodes (122 not out) used their experience to guide the visitors past the follow-on target, and to within 42 of Nottinghamshire's first-innings total, with four wickets remaining.

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 quickfire 25 to help his side to 59 for one 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 down the throat of 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, caught by Usman Afzaal at point, and had Singh caught behind by Chris Read for 44. Leg-spinner MacGill tempted Vikram Solanki into a false stroke on nine and Read took another regulation catch behind the stumps.

When Franks picked up his third wicket, dismissing Gareth Batty with a quicker ball, Worcestershire were struggling to avoid the follow-on at 120 for six.

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, looking to cut and pull anything short and using the sweep to negate MacGill.

Leatherdale, 34, was first to his half-century with a classy cover drive off Harris just before tea, and wicket-keeper Rhodes, four years his senior, followed him past 50 in the second over after tea, 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 Nottinghamshire, resuming on 344 for seven, added another 60 runs to their total for the remaining three wickets, all-rounder Franks finishing unbeaten on 57. Young paceman Kabir Ali took all three wickets to finish with four for 117.

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