Middlesex have won promotion to division one after clinching a 73-run win over Derbyshire thanks to a five-wicket haul from Phil Tufnell.

The veteran off-spinner took the crucial wickets of Chris Bassano and Michael di Venuto at a point when victory for the home side did not look out of the question.

And to compound the misery for Derbyshire, they also had eight points deducted for providing a sub-standard pitch.

The county opted not to appeal that penalty, and it means they cannot join Middlesex as one of the other two teams to be promoted.

Early promise

Beginning the day on 45 for one and needing 306 runs to win, Derbyshire initially prospered through di Venuto (71) and Bassano (44).

But the wily former England slow bowlers eventually removed both men in quick succession to make it 131 for three.

That seemed to knock the belief out of the home team, whose middle order caved in to a combination of Tufnell and Aussie paceman Ashley Noffke.

Noffke took four wickets to collect match figures of 12 for 108.

Seventh wicket pair Jason Kerr and Graeme Welch then built a recovery to take things from 167 for six to 220 for seven.

But when that stand was broken by Noffke, there was to be no further resistance.

And when Mohammad Ali was caught by Ben Hutton at point off Noffke, Middlesex could uncork the champagne.

Derbyshire: A I Gait, M J Di Venuto (Capt), C W G Bassano, S A Selwood, D R Hewson, L D Sutton (Wkt), G Welch, J I D Kerr, Mohammad Ali, K J Dean, L J Wharton.

Middlesex: S G Koenig (Capt), R M S Weston, B L Hutton, E C Joyce, P N Weekes, D Alleyne (Wkt), J W M Dalrymple, A A Noffke, S J Cook, C B Keegan, P C R Tufnell.

Umpires: D J Constant and T E Jesty