The Scorpions were skittled for 143 off 43.5 overs, Carl Greenidge (three for 22) proving the pick of the home side's bowlers. Mike Hussey then led his side to 146 for three in the 27th over with a match-winning 72 not out.

Only 19 were on the board when Derbyshire opener Steve Stubbings (two) was snapped up at first slip by David Sales off Greenidge, but Andrew Gait set out his stall, cracking five fours on his way to 23 off 38 balls. But Gait too fell to Greenidge, at the end of the 12th over, after the opener glanced one behind to wicketkeeper Toby Bailey and Steve Selwood (11) was unable to make any impact as the visitors struggled to get away, the number four caught off a leading edge by Hussey at point off one from Tony Penberthy.

Penberthy then trapped Chris Bassano (11) lbw and Luke Sutton went for one, run out following a mix-up with acting skipper Matt Dowman. But Kerr took the game to the Steelbacks, carving out five fours in a 60-ball stay that reaped him 45 runs. He and Dowman put on 39 for the sixth wicket in little over half an hour before the latter offered a bottom edge that was snaffled by keeper Bailey.

Kerr became the second run-out victim when Penberthy threw to the bowler's end after intercepting Tom Lungley's on-drive to leave Derbyshire on 135 for seven and Lungley was involved again when Mohammad Ali (two) was brilliantly run out by a direct hit at the bowler's end from Hussey.

Greenidge grabbed his third wicket when Dean (two) holed out to Graeme Swann at long-on with the score on 143 and without any further addition last man Lian Wharton was run out by Bailey with a throw to the bowler's end after some more kamikaze running between the wickets.

In reply, the Steelbacks made a flying start. Openers Mal Loye and Hussey raced to 53 by the end of the ninth over before the former went for one big hit too many, holing out to Stubbings at point off Kevin Dean for 31 from 28 balls.

David Sales (two) went cheaply, caught by Selwood at long leg off Kerr in the 15th over to leave the Steelbacks on 86 for two and in the next Gerard Brophy was also caught off a short one, this time from Ali, top-edging behind to wicketkeeper Luke Sutton. But Jeff Cook slipped straight into the groove, carving out five fours to finish undefeated on 37 from 42 balls, while Hussey struck 10 fours and faced 79 balls.

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