Durham are in a difficult position after day two of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Emirates Riverside.

Before rain brought a premature end to the day, Durham found themselves in a desperate fight to keep the contest alive.

A half-century from Tom Latham provided resistance, but the visitors managed to take wickets at regular intervals led by Duanne Olivier's 3-51. The home side had a lead of 46 before the rain came just at the tea break, to end the day early.

Derbyshire began 175-8, with Tony Palladino and Alfie Greadall adding valuable late runs. They guided their side over the 200-run mark before the visitors were dismissed for 205 and a lead of 109 as Matt Salisbury and Chris Rushworth claimed the final two wickets.

Without stand-in skipper Cameron Steel due to a bruised arm, Michael Jones moved up to partner Latham at the top of the innings. Latham survived an early scare as he was dropped by Alex Hughes at second slip off the bowling of Hardus Viljoen for nine. However, Jones was clean bowled by Viljoen with a precise yorker to make the breakthrough.

Graham Clark joined Latham in the middle and the duo put on a 50 partnership to calm proceedings, making serious inroads into the deficit.

Clark had settled into his innings, but then played a loose shot when Hughes entered the attack to lose his wicket. Will Smith lost his composure immediately on arrival, top-edging a delivery from Viljoen straight to Callum Brodrick at backward point.

Latham continued his resistance by making his first half-century of the County Championship season in his first appearance in the four-day format on the term.

He displayed patience reaching the milestone in 104 balls, finding the boundary six times.

However, Olivier returned to bowl from the Lumley End and produced a fine delivery to remove the New Zealander. The ball rose to take the edge, allowing Wayne Madsen to take the catch at first slip.

Olivier snagged Ryan Davies in the same over before trapping Josh Coughlin lbw for nine to leave Durham in huge trouble with only a slender advantage.

Gareth Harte and Steel, batting at eight due to his injury, managed to see off the visitors' surge edging the lead towards 50 with a solid defence.