Raheem Ahmed, the older brother of England’s versatile cricketer Rehan Ahmed, is currently undergoing a 20-day trial with Nottinghamshire, the reigning county champions. He aims to secure a permanent position after enduring several years plagued by stress fractures.

The 22-year-old left-arm bowler has faced numerous setbacks over recent seasons due to persistent back problems. Despite these challenges, Raheem remains hopeful of joining his brothers in professional cricket. Rehan, notable for being England’s youngest player to represent the country in all three formats, and Farhan, an 18-year-old off-spinner with the England Lions, are both setting a high standard in their cricketing careers.

Raheem has been honing his skills at Nottinghamshire’s 2nd XI, training at their Lady Bay facility since the season began. He recently played in a friendly match against Derbyshire’s second team, sharing the field with his brother Farhan.

This isn’t Raheem’s first stint with Nottinghamshire, having spent some time with them last September. However, the current arrangement, which includes a day rate for his three-week trial, hints at the potential for a more lasting association. According to regulations supported by the Professional Cricketers’ Association, trialists can participate unpaid for up to five days, but longer trials necessitate compensation.

Growing up, the Ahmed brothers dreamed of playing together for England. They recently realized a part of that dream by playing for Cavaliers and Carrington in the Nottinghamshire Premier League, securing a victory against Cuckney. This match occurred just before Rehan left to join the Delhi Capitals for his inaugural IPL season, causing him to miss the early stages of the County Championship with Leicestershire.

In that match, while Rehan and Farhan didn’t take any wickets, Raheem impressed with figures of two for 37 from eight overs. Rehan’s IPL commitments will also see him absent from the start of Leicestershire’s Vitality Blast campaign.

Raheem Ahmed in action for Leicestershire’s 2nd XI in 2021 – he is now on a 20-day trial with Nottinghamshire

Farhan, the youngest of the Ahmed brothers, is already at Nottinghamshire and shining for the England Lions

Rehan, the middle brother, is England’s youngest ever player in all three formats

Foxes snap up Kiwi captain

Three-time Blast winners Leicestershire will be boosted by the arrival of Nick Kelly, New Zealand’s newest Twenty20 captain.

Tom Latham’s damaged toe means that Kelly, 32, is currently leading the New Zealanders in a three-match series in Bangladesh, striking 39 on his captaincy debut on Monday, a six-wicket defeat in Chattogram. He struck back-to-back half-centuries to close out the 50-over series, which the Black Caps lost 2-1.

Leicestershire sought an experienced batsman to replace Shan Masood, who went without a 50 in 13 appearances for the club last year and Kelly will slot into the top six alongside another new arrival in Australian Ashton Turner, a serial winner of the Big Bash League with Perth Scorchers who has been lured from Lancashire.

Turner averaged an underwhelming 20 with the bat for last year’s north group winners, and was unavailable for finals day after being recalled by Western Australia. However, he was involved in his fifth title win with Perth earlier this year and previously spent multiple seasons with Durham.

Nick Kelly is standing in as New Zealand T20 captain and will join Leicestershire this summer for the Blast

Yorkshire eye Pakistan duo for Blast 

Up the M1, the absence of an Australian from this year’s competition has sparked a scramble for luckless Yorkshire: they are expected to sign an all-rounder currently involved in the Pakistan Super League after Will Sutherland pulled out of his return to the club this summer.

Yorkshire made a concerted effort to strengthen for the Blast last winter, snapping up Moeen Ali, as well as experienced short-form specialist AJ Tye as a local player and identifying Sutherland and Afghanistan bowler Naveen-ul-Haq as their two imports.

However, the latter pair succumbed to injury within a month of the competition starting and Yorkshire are expected to follow last week’s capture of Hasan Ali – surprisingly not retained by Warwickshire despite averaging more than two wickets an appearance last summer – with the signing of another Pakistan international.

Faheem Ashraf, back in favour at international level and a player that fetched £670,000, the second-highest price at this year’s PSL auction, offers one option, while Mohammad Wasim is another that could fit the bill.

The club’s determination to win a first Blast crown could yet be hit at the back end of the tournament, though, with Pakistan embarking on a Test tour of the Caribbean that would rule those selected out of the semi-finals and final at Edgbaston on July 18.

Mohammad Nawaz had been granted a No Objection Certificate by the Pakistan board to play in the Blast, and was expected to sign for Surrey, but the spin bowling all-rounder is no longer available after becoming the subject of an ICC anti-doping process for recreational drug use.

Fellow left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin has also had his return to the competition blocked by a third party. Fortuin, 31, was a runner-up with Hampshire last year, but was identified by Warwickshire as a like-for-like replacement for Danny Briggs this summer.

However, it is understood that Cricket South Africa will not issue a NOC because they would like the 43-cap Proteas international to be involved in an A-team camp.

Faheem Ashraf could fill the void left at Yorkshire after they were hit with a double blow to their overseas recruitment

Mohammad Wasim, who has 87 international wickets, is another option for Yorkshire

Floundering Kent strengthen bowling attack 

The County Championship’s bottom club Kent are bolstering their bowling stocks ahead of Derbyshire’s visit to Canterbury on Friday by taking Surrey’s James Taylor on loan.

Twenty-five-year-old Taylor – younger brother of Worcestershire’s Tom Taylor, the most prolific bowler across both divisions of the 2025 Championship – claimed two wickets in Surrey’s opening-round draw with Warwickshire, but has not featured since.

Winless Kent’s need for firepower is stark: they conceded 684 for two against Northamptonshire in their second match of the season and lost by an innings after Worcestershire posted 447 at New Road last week.

James Taylor (left) is on his way to Kent on loan to try to rescue their County Championship campaign

It’s all about to kick off 

With counties already thinking about their squads for 2027, dozens of players are currently talking over their futures ahead of June 1 – the date when free agents are permitted to talk to prospective employers.

Ben McKinney, the 6ft 7in Durham opener on England’s radar for June’s Test series against New Zealand, is among those to have committed to their current clubs, signing a two-year deal at the Riverside.

Being in the last year of a contract brings uncertainty and this is especially true for those at Sussex, a club prevented from renewing deals because of penalties imposed by the ECB for financial mismanagement.

Tom Clark, one of those soon to be on the open market, followed a hundred in the first innings of the season against Leicestershire with 93 off Yorkshire’s attack at Headingley on Monday.