Teenage protégé Saif Zaib has joined Northamptonshire on a three-year contract.
The 16-year-old batsman was already a member of the county’s academy and will now train alongside Northants’ professional staff.
Zaib, who completed his GCSEs this summer at RGS Wycombe, made his Northants debut in May as a 15-year-old, impressing with 54 not out in the second innings of the game against Durham University.
Subsequent match-winning performances in the second XI, together with a double-hundred for his school and scoring his maiden Home Counties Premier League century for High Wycombe, have confirmed his impressive talent.
This was recognised with national honours when Zaib, also a left-arm spinner, was selected for the England Schools Under-17 XI in their game earlier this month at Lord’s.
Northamptonshire chief executive David Smith said: "This is a ground-breaking move for Northants and reflects Saif's potential and our view that his progress will be further accelerated by training alongside our professional staff.
"The game is getting younger and faster and Saif, being a three-dimensional cricketer, is exactly the profile of cricketer we need more of and will invest in."
Academy director and second XI coach Phil Rowe added: "Saif is a gifted lad who has learned very quickly in his time with us.
"He's a popular lad who plays with a smile and who has an obvious love of the game. I'm very pleased that the club has shown this level of support for a developing young talent from our academy."
Zaib’s father Sajid said: “We are naturally delighted to be officially part of Northants Cricket.”