More frustration around Derby's stumble

Derbyshire has had few days to remember and Kent has lost portions of many to the weather this County Championship season so it should hardly come as a surprise that the former failed to capitalise on a good start on a day significantly shortened by rain at Canterbury today.

In such play as was possible around a long, rain-enforced interruption in mid-afternoon, Steve Titchard (52) compiled a third half century of the Championship season to lift the visitors to a score of 167/5 by stumps. The beneficiary of two dropped catches, fellow opener Steve Stubbings also fought gamely for the visitors, adding 41 of his own runs to a defiant opening stand of 85. Aside those two contributions, though, there was once more little about which to enthuse from the Derby upper order. In looking to attack Martin Saggers' bowling a little too hastily, Australian left hander Michael di Venuto (13) was again the victim of his own impatience, while James Pyemont (4) was the victim of a lazy mix-up between the wickets with Matthew Dowman (30*).

For Kent, Saggers (2/50) and Mark Ealham (0/35) toiled the most admirably in what was a solid, if unspectacular, overall exhibition with the ball. Even if the five wickets which fell owed much to Derbyshire's continuing inability to sustain an advantage, their fightback both accentuated the impression that their own form is on the improve and that their opponents still do not quite look as if they genuinely intend to avoid the horrors of relegation.