County cricket enters a new age

Cricket has its first 'noughties' first-class player after Derbyshire handed a County Championship debut to a teenager still at school in their current match against Glamorgan.

At 16 years and 203 days, Hamidullah Qadri is the first player born in the year 2000 to play in the County Championship.

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Qadri was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and grew up playing football and tennis. It was only after his family escaped the war-torn country for the UK in 2011 that he took up cricket at school.

"I never looked to play cricket, I just came over with family and played a bit in school," Quadri told the BBC after day one of his debut match.

"From there I played a bit in the park and moved on to play for a club and caught some of the coaches' eyes and obviously I got into cricket from there on.

"It's been a journey full of good things, it's been wonderful so far."

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Batting at No.11, the off-break bowler faced his first first-class delivery against a seaming pink Dukes ball under lights at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens.

In an eventful innings, he was bowled off a no ball and finished unbeaten on 11 from eight balls, striking two boundaries, as Derbyshire recovered from a shaky start with the final three wickets putting on 131.

The visitors were all out for 288 and Qadri said his no-ball reprieve had helped calm the nerves.

"It was a decent ball, hit top of off stump. I was lucky enough it was a no ball so I had a second chance, and just got to enjoy it," he said.

The teenager only learned of his inclusion in the starting XI shortly before the toss with the Cardiff wicket set to take plenty of turn.

"They (Durham's selectors) looked at the wicket and it was a spinning wicket, so Billy (Godleman, the captain) came up to me and said 'you'll be playing'.

"No words to describe the feelings I've got. I'm quite happy. Hard work pays off. "

Qadri said his "fingers were itching to bowl" on the surface and will form a spin combination with Sri Lanka veteran leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis.

With Afghanistan last week being afforded Test status, Qadri said  he was keeping his mind on the current match before thinking of potential international honours with either his home or adopted country.

"It's too early to say that, I've only played my first game today but you never know," he said.

"You should never look too much ahead and whatever opportunities come, take it from there.

"I just like to stay in the present and take whatever comes at you."