Essex will be hoping their batsmen can impress on day three of their LV= Championship clash with Gloucestershire after another difficult day in Chelmsford.
The rain meant play was not able to resume until 3.10, with 48 overs scheduled to be bowled.
Gloucestershire didn't hang about after starting the day on 300-3, and added 38 in the first eight overs, with Hamish Marshall and Dan Housego continuing their mammoth stand.
But Tymal Mills eventually made the breakthrough with the score on 351 – and the stand at 280 – when he had Marshall caught by Rob Quiney at third man for 139.
Ravi Bopara, who had struck just before lunch on day one, then trapped Housego – also for 149 – with his first over just before tea, leaving the score at 378-5.
Gloucestershire came back out after the interval and added another 32 runs before declaring on 409-5 with Benny Howell (37) and Will Gidman (10) the not out batsmen.
That left Essex with 18 overs to face before the close, and they made a bad start when Championship debutant Quiney was bowled by James Fuller for just four.
And things went from bad to worse when Ben Foakes also fell to Fuller for four, this time caught by Chris Dent at second slip.
That brought Bopara to the crease to join Tom Westley and they took the score on to 30-2 before bad light brought the day to a close with just 7.1 overs bowled.
Westley will start day three on 19 and Bopara on three as Essex try to rebuild.
With more bad weather forecast for Friday, Essex's chances of forcing a win may be unlikely, with avoiding the follow on the first aim for the home side.
Play is scheduled to resume at 11am.
