Surrey 339 for 5 (Burns 161, Patel 77, Jacks 59) vs Nottinghamshire
The younger brother of Leicestershire and England prodigy Rehan Ahmed, at the age of 16 years and 189 days, Farhan is the youngest first-class player in Nottinghamshire’s history. Earlier this month, he set another record on his first-class debut as the youngest player to be selected for England Lions when they faced Sri Lanka at Worcester.
Nonetheless, with half-centuries from Jacks and Ryan Patel against a depleted and relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire side, the defending champions and runaway Division One leaders are in a good position as they seek to edge closer to a third consecutive title.
Wheir options reduced by injuries, a Test call-up for Olly Stone and, in the case of Dane Paterson, paternity leave, the home side also gave a first-class debut to 23-year-old pace bowler Rob Lord.
Farhan, whose selection displaced Cris Tinley as the youngest first-class player in the Nottinghamshire record books 177 years since the latter made his debut at 16 years 288 days in 1847, was trusted to enter the attack as early as the seventh over, by which time it was already clear that it was not a pitch for persevering with seamers, especially with the Kookaburra ball.
Unfazed by being swept for six and four by Burns, Ahmed was unlucky not to claim the Surrey skipper as his maiden Championship wicket before the visitors reached lunch at 88 for 1, having the left-hander perilously close to being caught at slip on 36 and at midwicket on 41.
Lord, who has played national counties cricket for Cheshire and signed a short-term contract with Nottinghamshire last month, took the only wicket to fall in the session as Dom Sibley was caught at second slip, the ball glancing off the opener’s bat as he swayed out of the path of a rising delivery.
Burns completed his fifty from 104 balls soon after lunch before surviving a confident appeal for leg before by Farhan on 78. It was not the most fluent innings he has played, his hundred coming up off a streaky inside edge off seamer Lyndon James that ran away for his eighth four, but his stand of 175 for the second wicket with Patel put Surrey in a commanding position on 203 for 2 at tea.
Patel had been caught behind for 77, a well-deserved maiden Championship wicket for Farhan, who asked questions of the batters consistently and was rewarded when he straightened one enough from round the wicket to find the edge.
Patel was a first victim behind the stumps for Nottinghamshire’s latest overseas recruit, the South African Test wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
There was a heavy workload, too, for left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White and, on only his second first-class appearance, a busy day for Freddie McCann, the 19-year-old top-order batter, who also bowls offspin.
Burns clubbed McCann for his third six shortly before reaching 150, prompting Nottinghamshire to take the new ball after 84 overs, although it was only two overs old when they turned again to Farhan, who was lofted down the ground by Burns for his fourth maximum but then dismissed Burns and Ben Foakes with consecutive deliveries.
A catch at wide mid-on accounted for Burns as the erstwhile England opener attempted to clear the ropes again before Foakes, capped as recently as March this year, prodded outside off-stump and was caught behind.
Jacks survived the hat-trick ball but after hitting Farhan for his third six he was caught on the long-off boundary to give the youngster his fourth scalp.
