DESPITE four wickets from Tony Palladino, Derbyshire could not take a grip in their LV County Championship match against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.
Palladino took three wickets in successive overs straight after lunch and added a fourth with the third ball of his next spell as Hampshire reached 230-4 at tea on the first day.
Derbyshire were made to pay for two dropped chances. Jimmy Adams was put down off the fifth ball of the day on two and went on to make 60, while Adam Wheater was given a life on six and was 66 not out at tea.
After winning the toss and putting the home side in on a very green wicket, Derbyshire expected that if they were going to make early headway, it was going to be early on but that did not happen.
Hampshire were 110-0 at lunch and though the wicket was nowhere near as lively as it appeared it might be, Derbyshire will feel they might have had a least a wicket or two to show for their efforts.
It could have been a different story but Mark Footitt found the edge of Adams' bat in the first over and the catch appeared to on Wayne Madsen quicker than he expected at first slip. He could not take the shoulder-high chance at 4-0.
Tim Groenewald had one very strong shout for lbw against Smith in his first over and Alex Hughes saw two edges squirt just wide of second slip in what became a frustrating first session for Derbyshire.
However, Derbyshire had just the lift they needed off the first ball after lunch when Adams was caught behind for 60. In his next two overs, Palladino then had Joe Gatting caught behind for four and James Vince caught at second slip by Stephen Moore for four to make the score 118-3.
It should have been 124-4 but Wheater was dropped by wicketkeeper Gareth Cross diving in front of first slip off Palladino.
Wheater went on to complete a swift half-century off 48 balls with seven fours but a stand of 109 ended when Will Smith became Palladino's fourth victim, lbw for 82.
