The ongoing Inter School Under-13 Cricket tournament has seen some fascinating feats being achieved by cricketers of little known outstation schools. Almost all such feats have been achieved in the Division III tournament. Division III is a stage where teenagers are trying to establish themselves in school level cricket.

To begin with, Samud Weerakoon, an eight-year-old from St. Joseph’s College, Kuliyapitiya, picked up six wickets for just one run to skittle out the ‘B’ team of Dhammissara MMV, Naththandiya.

Off-spinner Weerakoon has produced this impressive performance in a short spell of just three overs. His six-wicket haul helped skittle out the opposition team for just 43 runs in the first innings. After the initiative had been taken by the youngest of the team, their skipper Supun Sandeep grabbed an eight-wicket haul in the second innings to bowl their opponents out for 47 runs.

The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) officials when contacted confirmed that Weerakoon was an eight-year-old. Incidentally, the youngster can play in the same age group for five more years which will be a very rare achievement in that age category.

Chandu Deemantha of Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Athurugiriya, produced yet another interesting feat. Playing in his first ever ‘hardball’ cricket match after he was picked by his coach —when he saw Deemantha playing softball— Deemantha rattled Herman Minor School with his bowling prowess which his coach termed as ‘genuine pace bowling.’

Deemantha bagged ten wickets including a hat-trick in his debut leather ball cricket match. What a way to start a school career! According to his school officials, he had clean bowled nine of his ten victims in that match. He had taken a six-wicket haul in the first innings and four in the second helping his side record an easy innings and 111 runs victory in the first round of the Division III tournament. In the first innings he had accounted for six out of the first seven wickets to fall.

In another rare feat, the junior cricketers of Rajasinghe MV, Hanwella, came up with a remarkable bowling performance to bowl out Mayadunne Vidyalaya for an embarrassing four runs.

The SLSCA confirmed that to be the best bowling performance by a side in the Under-13 tournament this year.

Kasun Heshan, a 12-year-old, has been the hero of that match. He has picked up eight wickets in a 12-over spell to help his school produce this extraordinary performance. Heshan’s eight wickets had cost him just two runs in a spell which has included eight maiden overs. Heshan had a match-bag of 13 wickets as Rajasinghe MV cruised to an innings and 31-run win.

Mayadunne Vidyalaya have toiled for 23.3 overs to score their four runs in their second innings.

Their opponents have been bowled out for 15 runs in the first innings.