Farhan Ahmed’s Hat-Trick and Moores’ Blazing 75 Secure Consolation Win for Notts

A stunning five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, from 17-year-old Farhan Ahmed, followed by a destructive 75 from Tom Moores, powered Nottinghamshire to a six-wicket victory over Lancashire at Trent Bridge in their final North Group fixture of the Vitality Blast.

Despite having already secured a home quarter-final, Lancashire faltered badly with the bat, collapsing to 126 all out as Farhan returned career-best white-ball figures of 5 for 25. Notts chased the target down with 28 balls to spare, finishing on 127 for 6, thanks largely to Moores’ explosive 75 from just 42 balls.

Farhan’s Fabulous Five

After electing to bat first, Lancashire made a brisk start, reaching 38 in just 3.1 overs, but their momentum was quickly halted by Notts’ spin-heavy attack. Liam Patterson-White (2 for 14) and Farhan Ahmed exploited the turning pitch expertly, triggering a dramatic collapse from 38 for 0 to 53 for 5 inside eight overs.

Farhan’s hat-trick — which came from the final three balls of the innings — was the highlight of the match, capping off a spell that underlined the teenager's growing reputation. The final wicket saw Farhan complete his five-wicket haul, earning him a maiden white-ball five-for in professional cricket. He had already made headlines last season by becoming the youngest player in British first-class history to take 10 wickets in a match.

Matt Montgomery also chipped in with a key wicket, removing the dangerous Ashton Turner to leave Lancashire reeling. Only a 62-run stand between Matty Hurst (36) and Chris Green (29) gave the visitors some respectability, but they were ultimately bowled out with five deliveries unused.

Moores Magic Seals It for Notts

Nottinghamshire’s reply started in disastrous fashion as they slumped to 14 for 4 within 17 balls, Tom Hartley striking twice in the second over. But Tom Moores, in sublime form throughout the campaign, steadied the ship and turned the game on its head with a blistering knock.

His 81-run partnership with Lyndon James (20) came at nine runs per over, wresting control from Lancashire and putting Notts firmly on track. Though James was bowled by Luke Wells with 32 runs still needed, the damage had already been done.

Moores fell agonisingly short of a deserved match-winning finish, run out for 75 while attempting a second run to seal victory. It was his highest score of the tournament and just six runs short of his all-format white-ball career-best in 168 innings.

Victory was sealed next ball, bringing some solace to a disappointing campaign for the Outlaws, who were already all but eliminated due to a poor net run rate. Despite the win, they missed out on the knockout stages for the third time in four seasons.

In Contrast: Lancashire’s Quarter-Final Cruise

Lancashire, by contrast, had little at stake in this match, having already secured a home quarter-final for the eighth consecutive year — an unmatched streak in the competition. But their batting frailties, even on a turning pitch, may give them pause heading into the knockout phase.

Match Summary:

Lancashire: 126 all out in 19.1 overs (Hurst 36, Green 29; Farhan Ahmed 5-25, Patterson-White 2-14)
Nottinghamshire: 127 for 6 in 15.2 overs (Moores 75, James 20; Hartley 2-13)
Result: Nottinghamshire won by 4 wickets
Venue: Trent Bridge, July 18, 2025
Player of the Match: Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire)