Farhan Ahmed shows generational talent in abundance with his efforts far more than lovable for his Notts side.
Farhan Ahmed took the ball from the Stuart Broad End after 10 overs.
He resembled a cartoon fish setting out on a huge adventure, with a black mop of hair bouncing and glints of opportunity in his eyes.
Even if it is between the two unexpected and imperfect primary protagonists of Division One thus far, there is nothing more animated Japanese than an early season County Championship match. Here, the white sheets covering the Trent Bridge pavilion during renovations dampen any whimsy to riff upon, and the cloud cover prevents the hues from bursting.
The 17-year-old off-spinner, who had played a fairly casual seven overs on day one (1 for 19), would have a lot to do. as they ought to be given their age.
Well into the second act of this musical, after 34 overs, our brave fish was not only alive and well, but also dangerous for his own good. Batters were being squeezed out as Sussex faltered at 138 for 5, leading by just seven runs. Farhan had finished his unbroken 17-over stint, 11 of which had been up to tea. However, his influence was enormous, his efforts were admirable, and he perfectly encapsulated the many advantages a spinner offers.
He didn’t only capture the first two of Sussex’s seven wickets on Saturday; in the span of nine balls, Hughes was caught behind and No. 3 Tom Clark was stranded in front. Because of his level of control, Captain Haseeb Hameed no longer had to worry about balancing his now limited seam possibilities; instead, he could now enjoy the luxury of only having to care about the Radcliffe Road End.
Due to the fact that they only gave up four boundaries in the first 17 overs and just two to the leg side when captain John Simpson came in to sweep firmly behind square in the final two overs of the off spinner, the bottom order dart for runs did not significantly change the situation.
Simpson had discovered a useful ally in Jack Carson by the time Farhan came back for two more overs at the end of day two. Carson’s unwavering unbeaten 21 in a stand of 28 did offer some optimism. Their lead is 64. The first to truly go large was a crisp turner beyond Simpson’s edge, which hinted at what the spinner may do the next day.
To be clear, this is still a seamer’s pitch, which is an additional plus for Farhan. We are at Trent Bridge in April, after all. Jayden Seales and Ollie Robinson’s sharks caused chaos even before Farhan showed up.
There was nothing cartoonish about it, just a generational talent doing it for real.