Luke Fletcher's five-wicket haul leads Nottinghamshire to innings win against Derbyshire

Nottinghamshire thrashed neighbours Derbyshire by an innings and 36 runs to go top of Group One in the LV=Insurance County Championship with one match remaining of the group stage as they bid to clinch a place in the top division.

Luke Fletcher added 5 for 28 to his earlier 3 for 36 to take his tally to 46 as the competition's leading wicket-taker as bottom-of-the-table Derbyshire were bowled out for 122, Dane Paterson claiming 3 for 22 with Matt Critchley's 36 a modest top score for the visitors, whose last four wickets fell for one run in 12 balls.

"Apart from taking wickets myself, I'm buzzing that we got a victory, a massively important result to put us top of the table, because we're desperate to get into that top division," Fletcher said.

"I was a bit worried how this game would go after T20 but after four or five overs I slotted back into my rhythm. The good thing in four-day cricket is that you can get into your spells, which I think we've done as a bowling group."

Nottinghamshire had been all out for 307 in reply to Derbyshire's first-innings 149, seamer Fynn Hudson-Prentice finishing with career-best figures of 5 for 68.

Ben Duckett's 69 not out overnight remained the top score despite the left-hander having to be replaced mid-innings after England's Covid emergency saw him picked in the new squad for the ODIs against Pakistan announced before play began.

The withdrawal of Duckett, who had been keeping wicket because Tom Moores is unwell, meant a senior debut for Dane Schadendorf, the 18-year-old Zimbabwe Under-19s wicketkeeper who joined Nottinghamshire last December.

Despite Duckett's absence, Nottinghamshire added 51 to their overnight lead of 107 before Derbyshire claimed the last three wickets, Schadendorf playing nicely for his 24 on his unexpected first-class debut, going on to take four catches in his maiden appearance with the gloves.

Hudson-Prentice chalked up his five-for with his first over with the second new ball when Ben Hutton was struck in front, Fletcher picked up a couple of boundaries before hitting Ben Aitchison to backward point and Schadendorf was bowled by Luis Reece.

Derbyshire lost Tom Wood in the seven overs before lunch as he edged Fletcher to first slip and though Brooke Guest began the afternoon with three boundaries he was caught behind off an inside edge as Schadendorf grabbed the ball above his head to claim his maiden first-class victim.

Wickets in consecutive overs from Paterson plunged Derbyshire into more trouble as Leus du Plooy lost his off stump to a beauty and Luis Reece was leg before to one that came back.

Critchley's bold approach brought him seven fours but he fell on the stroke of tea as Joey Evison found an edge, ending a 45-run partnership with Harvey Hosein, and Derbyshire suffered a further blow five overs into the last session as Hudson-Prentice flicked Fletcher lazily down the leg side the end coming quickly as Alex Thomson edged low to second slip, Michael Cohen was lbw to Paterson and Fletcher claimed his fifth via a fourth catch by Schadendorf.

Dave Houghton, Derbyshire's director of cricket, said: "It was a very disappointing game for us. We're playing really poor cricket at the moment. Our bowlers were the bright sparks for us again and our catching was excellent but we batted poorly and you can't compete in this game if you can't put a score on the board.

"The ball was swinging a bit but if you can't play a swinging ball you shouldn't be playing at this level. We've got out cheaply twice - we haven't even got an individual fifty within the game and we were no competition for the opposition.

"Our batting has been poor all season and I can't put a finger on why. It's just one of those rolls you get on and the confidence goes. They are going out there almost looking for a good ball and they are getting it."