Sir Alastair Cook has big score in his sights as Hampshire and Essex are hit by rain in the Bob Willis Trophy at Arundel

Former England captain Cook appeared in little danger with his second fifty of the Bob Willis Trophy and ended the day on 75 not out.

Only 47 overs were bowled on Sunday, after no play on the first day, as rain continued to frustrate the top two teams in the South group.

After the entirety of the opening day was washed out by rain and a damp patch on the bowlers’ run-up at the Castle End of the ground, a toss was made 24 hours late.

Sam Northeast won it and elected to bowl first, and hope for a similar new ball burst to that which downed Surrey last week.

But that didn’t arrive as Paul Walter and Cook looked at ease against accurate but lifeless bowling – with the conditions not helping movement either in the air or off the pitch.

Walter rose to his audition as a first-team opener after being given to step in for the rested Nick Browne.

Walter was promoted on the back of scores of 33, 46, 33 and a match-winning 27 not out in the middle-order thus far in the Willis Trophy.

The upgrade didn’t faze him, as he struck Brad Wheal through the covers in the third over.

Seven more offside boundaries followed, with only three of his 43 runs coming on the leg side, during an 83-run stand for the first wicket.

An early lunch was brought about by a heavy shower, with the afternoon session also washed out.

But 5pm saw the resumption of play, with 51 overs lost, and almost immediately Walter was out.

The left-hander edged the third ball of the restart to a stooping Tom Alsop at first slip to offer Ian Holland a breakthrough.

Around Walter, Cook had played the sort of innings which England supporters got used to watching in his 161 Tests.

Where the innings lacked in glamour, it made up for in substance – as he struck six boundaries on his way to a 101-ball half-century.

Cook’s most aggressive period came when he twice pulled James Fuller to the boundary with perfect execution.

Mason Crane picked up his 12th wicket of the season when Tom Westley, following a 61-run stand with Cook, prodded behind to Lewis McManus with three overs left.

Nightwatchman Jamie Porter guided Cook through to close without any further damage.

Hampshire bowler Ryan Stevenson said: ‘Getting some cricket in today was a positive but it has been a frustrating day.

“Bowling on it hasn’t been too bad but yesterday (Saturday) it was pretty wet and I think if we had bowled on it we would have done a fair bit of damage.

‘We bowled pretty well but the wicket is a bit slower than last week. It isn’t carrying from one end but it is from the other.

‘It is a good challenge to bowl against him [Alastair Cook] … we bowled okay against him but he played well.’

Essex captain Tom Westley added: ‘We would have also bowled if we had won the toss.

‘It is going to be tough to get the batting points on a slow and low surface but we are 150 for two so can push for as many points as we can.

‘We have been so used to him [Cook] doing that. We are so lucky to have him at Essex.

‘It was a difficult wicket to time the ball on but the longer Cookie spent out there, the easier he made it look.

‘Hopefully if we play a decent amount of cricket tomorrow he can go on and get a big score.’