In a whirlwind few days in May 2018, Will Fraine went from being a student at University to signing a professional contract and making his debut for Nottinghamshire in front of a national TV audience.
Fraine was in his final year at Durham University, studying for a degree in Sports, Exercise and Physical Activity. A right handed batsman, he had already played four First-Class matches for his University side against County opposition in early 2017 and 2018. He had featured occasionally for Nottinghamshire Seconds and made his mark with a quick-fire half-century for in a Second Eleven Trophy fixture with Northamptonshire on 14 May 2018. Two days after this knock, he signed a deal with Nottinghamshire for the rest of the summer and 24 hours later he made his debut for the County in a televised Royal London One-Day Cup match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.
Fraine featured regularly for Notts in limited overs cricket for the rest of the season. He played in three One-Day Cup fixtures and in seven T20 matches. He also made his County Championship debut in July against eventual champions Surrey at Trent Bridge. Fraine made scores of 19 and 30 against a strong Surrey attack, showing patience in facing more balls than any other Notts batsman in both innings of the match. That proved to be his only First-Class appearance for Nottinghamshire. He was offered terms by Notts for 2019 but elected instead to join his native Yorkshire on a three year deal.
William Alan Richard Fraine was born in Huddersfield on 13 June 1996. He attended Silcoats School in Wakefield and was part of the Yorkshire Academy before moving away for his Sixth Form studies at Bromsgrove School and then University at Durham. While at Bromsgrove, Fraine played for Worcestershire Seconds. At University, Fraine featured for Durham MCCU and for the MCC Universities in the Second Eleven Championship, before his breakthrough with Notts.
Back with the county of his birth for 2019, following his 11 matches for Nottinghamshire, Fraine started in four T20, one List-A and 8 County Championship matches; in First-Class cricket he scored 393 runs in the season.
April 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 647