Kent’s County Championship match against Derbyshire was finely poised at the end of day two, with the hosts leading by 86 when rain stopped play 23 overs early.

They were 38-2 two in their second innings at the close after Keith Dudgeon took 4-78 and Matt Milnes 3-87 to help dismiss the visitors for 304.

Luis Reece hit five sixes on his way to 84 and took part in last-wicket stand of 56 with England’s Shoaib Bashir, who was unbeaten on 12 when the innings came to an end.

Rory Haydon then followed up his five-for on day one with 2-15 for Derbyshire, including Zak Crawley, who was lbw for 15.

Derbyshire began the second day on 24 for no loss, but Dudgeon removed both overnight batters cheaply.

Caleb Jewell was first to go, caught by Tawanda Muyeye at third slip for 12 and Harry Came then edged to Sam Northeast at second for 27.

Matthew Montgomery was looking good until Matt Milnes had him lbw for 19 and there was a useful stand of 58 between Wayne Madsen and Andersson that was broken when Dudgeon had the former caught by Muyeye for 35.

It was 132-4 at lunch and Andersson went soon after when he pulled a waist-high full toss from Ekansh Singh and Joey Evison pulled off a brilliant catch on the boundary.

Evison had Brooke Guest lbw for 28, but a six from Reece off the same bowler helped the visitors edge closer to avoiding the follow-on target.

Zak Chappell drove Milnes for four to cut the lead to less than 150, but he nudged at the very next ball and was caught behind for 11.

Ben Aitchison made a useful 26 before he spooned Jas Singh to Sam Northeast and Dudgeon switched to the Nackington Road End, getting Haydon lbw for a duck.

However, Reece, who made a career-best 211 here last year, passed 50 with a six off Jas Singh that flew over backward square then twice gave Milnes the same treatment as the last pair eroded Kent’s lead.

Milnes eventually got Reece caught behind, but Derbyshire had wrestled back some of the momentum.

Jewell missed a difficult chance to catch Crawley at cover when he was on 11 and tried to drive Haydon.

The England opener crunched the following ball for four, but was lbw to the next and if that looked like it might have been going down leg, there was little doubt about the leg before decision against Ben Dawkins, who was out for 11.

Northeast and Muyeye were both unbeaten on four when rain forced an early finish.

Report by ECB Reporters’ Network, supported by Rothesay.