'We see the bigger picture - we see England'

Farhan Ahmed is an England Under-19 international

Farhan Ahmed is Nottinghamshire's finger-spinning whizz-kid who is building his career on the dream of one day playing for England alongside older brother Rehan.

He has already followed his sibling's example by making a big impression on the County Championship and T20 Blast as teenager.

And the 17-year-old became the first Notts bowler to claim a T20 Blast hat-trick, as he finished with figures of 5-25 in a mesmerising display to set the Outlaws up for their four-wicket win against Lancashire on Friday.

It was only last year that Farhan, then aged 16 years and 189 days, became the youngest player to feature for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship - and he marked that achievement by claiming 10 wickets against Surrey.

Producing age-defying displays is something of a family trait.

Leicestershire leg-spinner Rehan is now 20, but in 2023, at 18 years and 128 days, he became England's youngest male player to be capped in all three formats.

While they have grown up together, it is at rival counties that they have thrived in their own way – and that is entirely by design as they aim to one day play alongside each other at international level.

"If we were both finger spinners, we would find it hard to be in the same team," Farhan smiled, while recently explaining to BBC East Midlands Today why they have specialised in different arts of spin bowling.

"He is a leg-spinner and I'm an off-spinner, plus he is a proper batter as well and that helps me out a bit.

"But we see the bigger picture, we see England really and I hope that comes up in future."

While the Ahmed brothers will be turning their attention back to the red-ball game this week - with Division One high-flyers Notts at Hampshire on Tuesday, while Division Two leaders Leicestershire host nearest rivals Derbyshire – the T20 competition memorably pitted the pair against one another.

Rehan faced his brother's bowling on the way to a maiden T20 half-century that helped set Leicestershire up for victory against Notts in June.

Then when Farhan snatched two match-winning runs for Notts Outlaws against Leicestershire later in the competition, he was quick to say he had Rehan to thank.

And it was not only because the shot the teenager dug out, as he faced the final ball of the match, evaded his older brother to allow him to grab the runs Notts needed to seal the win.

"The last two years have been very special and my development has gone higher because of him [Rehan]," Farhan said.

"He has helped me so much because he has been in that position before.

"It's been a different journey for us, but we are lucky enough to be on similar paths."

They have been called up for the England Lions together already, but did not get a chance to play together for the second-string national team in the two-match series against India A earlier this year.

Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores, who was England boss across two stints, previously described Farhan as an "exciting young player" with a "high ceiling" as a cricketer.

And after the teenager's T20 hat-trick, Moores said he had once again showed composure beyond his years.

"It feels, always with Farhan, that he is going to do some exceptional things because he is 17 by age but by his mental and cricket age he is probably 26 or 27, so he makes good decisions," Moores told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"And a lot of professional players' lives are dictated by how well they make decisions under pressure. Farhan has always made good decisions and I think everyone enjoys him, because he has total commitment to what he does.

"He is an off-spinner, and is fairly conventional at times, but he does it brilliantly.

"I'm so pleased for him because playing T20 cricket as a young man is a tough one, and he has had a special night that he will never forget."

Additional reporting by BBC East Midlands Today's Adam Whitty and BBC Radio Nottingham's Dave Bracegirdle.