Chris Read achieved another magnificent career milestone as Nottinghamshire extended their lead at the top of the Second Division of the Specsavers County Championship.
The veteran gloveman, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on Thursday, claimed a record-breaking 968th wicketkeeping dismissal to claim the most ever by a Notts wicketkeeper as Derbyshire were bowled out for 227 on the final day of their encounter at The 3aaa County Ground.
Table-toppers Notts were held up as rain decimated the whole of the third day and the morning session on the final day, before being left with 75 overs in which to gather the last nine wickets for the win.
Billy Godleman, with 47, and Ben Slater, who made 44, held up the visitors but Brett Hutton made the difference once again, taking five for 74, to give him a match aggregate of 10 for 126.
Hutton closed out the contest, bowling Tony Palladino, to give Notts the victory by an innings and 61 runs, with 12.1 overs remaining.
Read’s record-breaking dismissal came just before 3pm, when Gary Wilson nicked the second ball of a new spell from Mark Footitt to surpass Thomas Oates' record and reduce the hosts to 137 for four.
On gaining the record, the Notts skipper said: “Cracking ball from Mark Footitt that nipped across Wilson, who was quite new to the crease and I was happy to cling on to it.
"I knew the record was around the corner, so it’s great – it’s wonderful – and all credit to all the bowlers I’ve played with, they’re the guys that get the nicks and I try and hang on to them.”
Reflecting on the win, Chris Read was more than happy with the side's display despite the uncertainty surrounding whether they would get a positive result from the game.
“It’s a very good result from a day, where at the beginning of it we didn’t know how much cricket we were going to play.
"We obviously had a day washed out yesterday through rain, having got ourselves into a very good position over the first two days. So, to lose a day and a half and still come out with 24 points is a great achievement.”
He added: “I think Brett’s performance over the four days should take the headlines.
"Alex’s knock was incredible and it was great to be at the other end for some of it and we know what fantastic form he is in.
"But for Brett to take 10 wickets on a wicket where people showed that if they got in they could score quite freely on it, there was some lateral movement and he exploited better than anyone on either side.”
Finally, the skipper hoped that Notts could end his final season on a high.
“I’ve loved every minute of my time in cricket and at Nottinghamshire and it’s coming to the end and hopefully it will be a really good end to a fantastic season.”
Play began at 1pm after lengthy mopping up operations had rendered the surface usable after almost 30 hours of continuous rain.
Slater and Godleman were at the crease, with Notts using Footitt and Jake Ball in the early stages, after Samit Patel had sent down the opening over to enable them to switch ends.
Neither quick, nor Luke Wood, who entered the fray within the first half hour, were able to force the breakthrough but the fifth member of the attack did prise an opening.
Hutton, who took five for 52 in the first innings, bowled a penetrative couple of overs and got his reward when Slater nicked to Riki Wessels at first slip for the second time in the match.
Notts thought they had got two in two as they appealed for a caught behind against Alex Hughes, next ball, but umpire Neil Mallender didn’t agree.
Having taken the first stride towards victory, Notts didn’t have to wait too long before making further inroads.
Godleman fell to a diving catch from Hutton, swooping forward from extra cover to hang on to a looping bat-pad thrust which flew into the off side.
Wilson then departed for an eight-ball duck, leaving Derbyshire on 150 for four at tea, with Notts requiring six wickets in the 37 overs that remained.
They only needed three more before Notts began to scythe through the lower middle order. Hutton pinned Alex Hughes lbw for 24 and enticed Wayne Madsen to drag on for 14.
Harvey Hosein, who survived a golden pair in making 11, feathered Ball behind to give Read another victim and then bowled Hardus Viljoen for two.
The ninth wicket added 31 runs to the total and with attacking fields there was even time for Tom Taylor to hit an all-run four.
Hutton ended the fun, trapping Taylor lbw for 15, before bowling Palladino to spark the celebrations.
The victory, Nottinghamshire’s sixth in 10 matches, was again achieved with a full haul of the maximum 24 points and takes the county 35 clear of second-placed Worcestershire, with four matches left.
They are now 50 points clear of third-placed Northants, who have played a game fewer. Derbyshire’s loss leaves them with just four points and only Durham and Leicestershire below them at the foot of the table.