ANDRE Nel took the only Derbyshire wicket to fall as the hosts started their first innings reply to Essex's total of 270 all out.

Play finally got underway at 4.30pm following rain and several pitch inspections at The County Ground.

Ravi Bopara added a single run to the overnight Essex total of 169-9 before being given out lbw off Tom Lungley's delivery.

And Bopara finished off two days of good work by catching Derbyshire opener Rogers off Nel's bowling after he had posted 13 of the opening 25 runs.

Steve Stubbings (23) and John Sadler (12) took the Derbyshire first innings reply to 64-1 from 28 overs at the close of play on the second day of the County Championship Division Two encounter.