DERBYSHIRE can at last draw a deep breath in their hectic Twenty20 Cup schedule, having landed a crucial win in a last-ball finish at Trent Bridge.

Graham Wagg, also the pick of the Phantoms' bowlers with 3-23, found a gap through the covers from the final delivery with the scores level to snatch a three-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire yesterday.

It was a tense finale at the end of five matches in six days for Derbyshire, with a second win sending them into the break, before Friday's return fixture at the County Ground, still feeling they can make it through to the quarter-finals of the competition.

A fourth defeat would surely have meant their prospects of progress were almost over.

Before Wagg's late heroics, it seemed Derbyshire had blown their chances in chase of the Outlaws' 144-9 as they slipped from being in control at 100-2 in the 13th over to 113-6 in the 17th.

Samit Patel, who has played so much of his cricket in the Derbyshire leagues, was so close to wrestling the game back in Notts' favour with three swift wickets and a spectacular catch.

The Phantoms contributed to their own problems as Rikki Clarke, who had moved so smoothly on to 28 off 19 balls in a fine partnership of 49 in six overs with Wavell Hinds, picked out long on Andre Adams off Patel and, two balls later, Jamie Pipe did the same.

Hinds, the support in a key partnership with Greg Smith in the win at Headingley four days earlier, seemed set to take the starring role for himself this time, with 45 off 40 balls – including five fours and a six.

But, trying to steer Patel to third man, he was beaten by the left-arm spinner and bowled. That was 110-5 and, suddenly, the road to victory was a rocky one.

A Dan Birch drive was plucked out of the air by the diving Patel, running around from long on, in the following over and, two balls into the 19th, John Sadler was bowled sweeping Mark Ealham to make it 126-7.

With 19 needed off 10 balls, Charl Langeveldt came in to join Wagg.

Langeveldt scrambled a single off his second ball, leaving 18 to get off eight, but Wagg delivered a vital blow, stepping back to strike Ealham over extra cover for six into the new stand, while a further single off the last ball left 11 to get off the final over.

The first ball of that over, bowled by Adams, was clipped just over the head of the 6ft 7ins Charlie Shreck at backward square leg for four.

It was agonisingly close to being gathered by the big man but Derbyshire were favourites again. The pair, more used to opening the bowling, kept their heads and a much-needed win was clinched in the most heartening of manners.

Having lost the toss, the Phantoms bowled well.

A wicket each for Langeveldt and Wagg left Notts at 15-2 in the fourth over and Will Jefferson, who had been dropped on eight, followed off the second ball of Doshi's spell to make it 44-3.

A fourth-wicket stand of 50 between Bilal Shafayat and Australian Adam Voges helped the Outlaws build but the spinners did the containment job admirably for Derbyshire.

Doshi finished with 2-23 in his four overs, while Jake Needham, who had taken a battering from Anthony McGrath the day before, bounced back to take 1-17 in three.

Voges' dismissal for 52, made off 41 balls with six fours, was important at the end of the 18th over and two wickets from Wagg in the final over made it an achievable target.

Wagg's 3-23 was his best in the competition but it was not to be his last intervention.