Wharton took six for 62 as Andrew Strauss' side collapsed from 97 for three to 207 all out in the 85th over. Had it not been for a spirited last-wicket stand of 51 between Ashley Noffke and Phil Tufnell, Middlesex's defeat would have been even more humbling.

Derbyshire's triumph catapults them into the promotion picture and is a fitting reward for acting skipper Michael di Venuto, whose inspired second-innings declaration on 301 for seven set them up for their seventh win of the campaign.

Derbyshire resumed the day on 259 for six and had added 42 to their score for the loss of Tom Lungley when di Venuto asked Middlesex to bat again. Chasing an unlikely 412 for victory, Middlesex made a jittery start, Sven Koenig beaten for pace by Mohammad Ali in the second over with no runs on the board.

Skipper Strauss steadied matters, but was stumped by wicketkeeper Luke Sutton going after a delivery from Wharton on 21. The third wicket fell with the score on 61 when Graeme Welch had Ben Hutton (27) caught at gully by Chris Bassano and then Owais Shah (20) departed, bowled by Wharton to leave Middlesex on 97 for four.

Paul Weekes and Ed Joyce battened down the hatches, putting on 36 in 10 overs before the former edged Wharton to Sutton for 17. Wharton claimed his fourth wicket of the innings three balls later, bowling David Nash for a duck.

Aaron Laraman came and went, caught off bat and pad by Welch at silly mid-off for Wharton's fifth wicket and in the next over Ali bagged first-innings centurion Joyce without addition to the score to leave Middlesex on one knee at 153 for eight.

Joyce (51) had followed up his first-innings 129 with another fine effort, facing 115 deliveries for his half-century. Chad Keegan had made three when Wharton pounced again, trapping the number 10 lbw as he padded up, and, although Australian Noffke put on an entertaining 51 for the last wicket in tandem with Tufnell (7), it was too little too late.

Tufnell was adjudged leg before off Welch to leave Noffke stranded on 31 not out, having struck six fours.

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