THREE dropped chances meant Derbyshire could not make the progress they wanted on the first day of their LV County Championship match against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, despite four wickets from Tony Palladino.
Palladino took three wickets in successive overs straight after lunch and added a fourth with the third ball of his next spell but the drops proved costly as Hampshire reached 332-7 at the close.
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 lives on six and 84 before he finally went for 87.
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.
Palladino was denied a fifth when Cross dropped Wheater again on 84 – a much simpler chance this time – but the batsman hit Footitt to Moore at extra cover two overs later at 256-5.
Sean Ervine added 47 before he chopped on to Groenewald at 318-6 and Matt Coles drove Groenewald straight to Paul Borrington at extra cover for eight to make it 330-7.
But with Michael Bates on 27 not out and Kyle Abbott nought not out, Hampshire had a much better day than they were entitled to.
