Warwickshire are in deep trouble halfway through their championship match against Nottinghamshire after their vaunted top-order was dismantled by high-quality seam-bowling at Trent Bridge.

Before yesterday, this season the Bears’ batting unit had coped pretty handsomely with all-comers bar Graham Onions and Stephen Harmison.

Now to the Durham pacemen can be added Nottinghamshire pair Ryan Sidebottom and Charlie Shreck as Warwickshire’s nemesis.

After the Bears resumed yesterday on 24 without loss, in reply to 388, they lurched to 66 for six, unhinged by bowling of incision and control.

Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott, eager for runs to press their claims for a call to The Oval next week, were among those to miss out and, though Rikki Clarke (68, 126 balls) supervised some dogged lower-order resistance, the Bears remain deep in a hole.

When bad light lopped off the last 12 overs last night they remained 25 short of the follow-on figure with their last pair together.

After rain prevented play before lunch, Nottinghamshire wasted no time unfurling their seam-bowling qualities. Whereas the Bears’ attack had mixed fine deliveries with four balls, the home bowlers’ accuracy allowed no release from the pressure.

Warwickshire inched to 35 then the top order fell in a heap, six wickets falling for 31 runs in 52 balls.

While Sidebottom bowled his way right into contention for The Oval with an excellent aggressive spell, Bell and Trott were cast in the role of victims.

The unfortunate Bell got the ball of the day.

His sixth, it jagged away almost unplayably to take the outside edge. Trott looked in his customary good form but then edged Shreck to second slip.

Shreck had already removed both openers via excellent third slip catches by Andre Adams.

Ian Westwood departed with just two half-centuries in 13 championship knocks behind him.

Ant Botha, opening for the first time, defied capably for 77 minutes but perished to a great ball and catch combination which would have done for many a specialist opener.

Jim Troughton, struggling for form with just 79 runs in eight championship innings now, and Tim Ambrose fell lbw to Sidebottom. The latter’s decision appeared harsh but, at 66 for six, the disarray was total.

Resistance followed from Chris Woakes (22 in 24 balls) and then Clarke and Naqaash Tahir who added 69 in 17 overs. It was the Bears’ record eighth-wicket partnership at Trent Bridge, surpassing the 66 by Jimmy Ord and Tom Pritchard in 1950 – a minor achievement, perhaps, but not so minor when set alongside the top-order implosion that preceded it.

After Tahir’s wristy 24 from 49 balls was ended by Voges’ third catch of the day, Sreesanth strode out to play his first innings for Warwickshire.

His first scoring shot, an off-driven boundary off Adams, evoked memories of Rohan Kanhai and a huge six into the committee-room (five occupants of which were rudely woken) was reminiscent of John Jameson. But just as the follow-on figure appeared on the horizon Clarke went for a risky second to Voges at fine leg and was run out for 68 (126 balls, seven fours and a six).

Sreesanth lifted Patel for another six before the light was deemed unacceptable, the umpires harvested a few ribald shouts of “Rubbish” and “Get ‘em out there” and nineteen pigeons lifted off in graceful unison from the outfield.