Mark Footitt took three wickets as Derbyshire and Gloucestershire once again shared a rain-affected Day Two in the LV= County Championship.
Gloucestershire resumed on 251-6 with Footitt (4-60) taking three wickets and Tom Taylor (4-89) claiming the other to bowl the visitors out for 329, despite the best efforts of Jack Taylor (120) who hit his maiden first-class century.
Several interruptions meant a stop-start reply for Derbyshire who were 77-2 at tea, with Billy Godleman (30*) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (17*) at the crease, before more rain prevented any play in the evening session with the hosts still trailing by 252 runs heading into Day Three.
Footitt started like a man on a mission on Day Two as he had both Michael Klinger (93), who failed to add to his overnight tally, and Craig Miles caught behind inside his first two overs.
Jack Taylor continued to play his shots for Gloucestershire and he brought up his century from 122 balls after scoring a flurry of boundaries in quick succession.
Alongside David Payne, he helped Gloucestershire add 74 runs in 14 overs before Taylor was caught at third-man off the bowling of Tom Taylor, who grabbed his fourth scalp of the innings.
Footitt then had yet another batsman caught behind by Harvey Hosein, as Liam Norwell went without scoring, to end the Gloucestershire innings on 329 all out.
The first half of the afternoon session was frustrating for everybody concerned with a combination of rain and bad light limiting spectators to just eight overs of cricket.
Godleman and Ben Slater batted well considering the constant delays and they shared an opening stand of 47 before Slater was caught at second slip off the bowling of Norwell for 17.
Chesney Hughes was caught behind off Howell for nine which brought Tillakaratne Dilshan to the crease. The Sri Lanka batsman got off to a flyer, pulling Norwell for six within minutes of his arrival in the middle.
Dilshan and Godleman saw Derbyshire through to tea on 77-2 after some tight bowling from the visitors’ attack, before play was to be abandoned for the rest of the day after the rain continued to pour during the interval.
Derbyshire are back in NatWest T20 Blast action on Friday (5 June) when they welcome Durham, featuring Ben Stokes, to The 3aaa County Ground. Buy tickets in advance of the day of the game and save £4!
