DERBYSHIRE County Cricket Club were soon in trouble when play was eventually able to start in their LV County Championship match against Kent at the 3aaa County Ground.
With the first ball bowled in mid-afternoon on the second day, Kent were finally able to make winning the toss pay off as Derbyshire were left struggling on 38-4 at tea.
The ball was swinging a lot in the damp conditions and former Australia Test seamer Doug Bollinger made the breakthrough with the first ball of the third over when he had Stephen Moore lbw for two at 4-1.
It was 24-2 in the 10th over but the second wicket was a gift as Paul Borrington, playing his first match of the season, stretched to reach Darren Stevens' first ball and steered it to Adam Riley at second slip. He made eight.
With no further run on the scoreboard, Wayne Madsen drove at Bollinger and a thick outside edge was caught by Brendan Nash at point, with the skipper on 14.
It might have been 24-4 next ball, as Scott Elstone edged his first ball in first-class cricket but it fell just short of wicketkeeper Sam Billings.
Derbyshire did lose a fourth when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was lbw to Stevens for five but before Alex Hughes could take guard, the rain returned and the players went off for tea, with Elstone nine not out.
