Teenage batsman Bilal Shafayat has become the first player to graduate from the new Nottinghamshire Cricket Academy by signing a three-year staff contract with the club.

The 17-year-old Nottingham-born A level student was offered the deal after making a hugely impressive start to his first team career this summer.

Said Notts Cricket Operations Manager Mick Newell: "We are very happy to get Bilal on board. We know he has a lot of potential and expect him to make a big impact at Notts in future years."

Shafayat was one of 14 inaugural members of the Notts Academy and this season became the only 16-year-old ever to represent the club in Championship cricket.

He scored 72 in his maiden first class innings against Middlesex and subsequently played in two more Championship matches as well as five Norwich Union League games.

Currently a sixth form student at Bluecoat School, in Aspley, Shafayat is due to travel to Australia and New Zealand after Christmas to play for England in the Under-19 World Cup and will join the Notts staff full-time on completion of his A¹ level exams.

Three more Notts players, Andrew Harris, Richard Logan and Darren Bicknell have all agreed contract extensions to keep them at Trent Bridge until the end of 2003.

© Nottinghamshire CCC