An explosive century from Ben Geddes put Middlesex on course for an 87 run victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the OurCoop County Ground to take them to the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
The Middlesex skipper hit seven sixes in a 93 ball 109, sharing a third wicket stand of 156 with Max Holden who scored 65.
Joe Cracknell scored an unbeaten 44 from 31 balls to lift the Group B leaders to 327 for 6 which proved too much for a depleted Falcons side.
Zafar Gohar took 3 for 35 as Derbyshire collapsed from 82 for 1 to 240 all out despite Caleb Jewell’s 54.
Derbyshire, whose hopes in the competition ended when they lost to Yorkshire on Friday, were missing fast bowler Ben Aitchison and batsman Wayne Madsen with injuries so England spinner Shoaib Bashir came into the team.
Middlesex knew a win would take them through and the in-form Josh de Caires looked set for another substantial innings until he tried to run Nick Potts and was caught behind in the ninth over.
Nathan Fernandes was bowled trying to drive Anuj Dal but Holden and Geddes moved through the gears to put Middlesex in control.
After driving Luis Reece for six to reach 50, Geddes opened up, dispatching Martin Andersson for another maximum and ramping Potts over the ropes.
Bashir was swept for six and Reece driven for another as Geddes raced to an 87 ball hundred with his second 50 coming off only 33 balls.
Geddes brought up the 150 stand with his seventh six but one run after Bashir spilled a running catch, he drove Jack Morley to long off.
Holden followed two overs later trying to ramp Potts but Cracknell and a nine ball cameo from Gohar ensured Middlesex set the Falcons a challenging chase.
It started badly when Harry Came was lbw to Roland Jones in the third over but Andersson and Jewell got the hosts back on track with a stand of 74 from 85 balls.
Gohar broke it in his first over when Andersson clipped low to mid on and Middlesex took another step closer to victory when Henry Brookes struck twice in consecutive overs.
He found enough movement to bowl Brooke Guest before Jewell drove into the hands of Holden at cover.
The decline continued with Yousaf Bin Naeem edging Gohar to slip before Luis Reece and Ross Whiteley revived the Falcons with a stand of 59 from 66 balls.
With the required rate above 10 an over, Whiteley pulled Noah Cornwell to deep square leg and when Reece missed a big swing in the pace bowlers next over,, the game was up.
Derbyshire Falcons Men
Middlesex Men
