Rory Burns’ Brilliant 161 Sets Up Surrey as Farhan Ahmed Shines on Nottinghamshire Debut
Rory Burns continued his good run of form with a dominant 161 at the bat after scoring a double-century against Lancashire last week.
With an innings of 339 for 5, Surrey was able to end the first day of their Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire. After becoming the youngest first-class debutant for Nottinghamshire, the spinner takes four of the five wickets that fall.
Key Performances and Match Results
Surrey 339 for 5 (Burns 161, Patel 77, Jacks 59) vs Nottinghamshire.
However, at the end of play at Trent Bridge, 16-year-old offspinner Farhan Ahmed stole the show from the Surrey captain. Burns and two other Test players, Ben Foakes and Will Jacks, were removed from the game, and Ahmed finished an incredible first day of Championship cricket with figures of 4 for 69 from 28 overs.
At sixteen years and 189 days, Farhan Ahmed—the younger brother of Leicestershire and England sensation Rehan Ahmed—became the youngest first-class player in Nottinghamshire history. He broke another record earlier this month when he played his first-class debut at Worcester against Sri Lanka, becoming the youngest player to be nominated for the England Lions.
Even so, the defending champions and overwhelming Division One leaders are in a strong position to win a third straight championship thanks to half-centuries from Jacks and Ryan Patel against a depleted and relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire team.
With their choices limited due to injury, Olly Stone’s Test call-up, and Dane Paterson’s paternity leave, the home team also made Rob Lord, a 23-year-old pace bowler, debut in a first-class match.
After Farhan’s selection, Cris Tinley was no longer the youngest first-class player in Nottinghamshire history, having made his debut at the age of 16 years, 288 days, in 1847. Farhan was allowed to go on the attack as early as the seventh over, but by then it was obvious that the pitch would not hold seamers, particularly when using the Kookaburra ball.
Not to be deterred, Ahmed was unlucky not to take the Surrey captain for his maiden Championship wicket before the visitors reached lunch at 88 for 1. The left-hander came dangerously close to being caught at slip on 36 and at midwicket on 41. Burns swiped Ahmed for six and four.
Lord, who signed a short-term deal with Nottinghamshire last month after playing for Cheshire in national counties cricket, claimed the lone wicket of the session when he grabbed Dom Sibley at second slip. The ball glanced off the opener’s bat as he swerved out of the way of a rising delivery.
Shortly after lunch, Burns reached his fifty from 104 balls, and on 78, he held off Farhan’s confident leg before appeal. His century came off a streaky inside edge off seamer Lyndon James that ran away for his eighth four, so it wasn’t the most fluid innings he’s played, but his 175-run partnership with Patel placed Surrey on 203 for 2 at tea.
After Patel was caught behind for 77, Farhan earned his first Championship wicket by asking the batters constant questions and was rewarded when Patel straightened one sufficiently from around the wicket to find the edge.
Patel was the first casualty behind the stumps for Kyle Verreynne, the South African Test wicketkeeper who was just brought to Nottinghamshire from overseas.
Left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White also had a long task, and 19-year-old top-order batsman and offspinner Freddie McCann had a busy day on just his second first-class appearance.
After 84 overs, Nottinghamshire took the new ball after Burns clubbed McCann for his third six just before he reached 150. However, the ball was only two overs old when they turned once more to Farhan, who Burns lofted down the ground for his fourth maximum before dismissing both Burns and Ben Foakes with consecutive deliveries.
Burns was removed by a catch at wide mid-on as the former England opener tried to get beyond the ropes once more. Foakes, who was only capped in March of this year, pushed outside off-stump and was caught behind.
Jacks made it through the hat-trick ball, but the young player took his fourth wicket when he was caught on the long-off boundary after hitting Farhan for his third six.
