Premier Cricket: Akshay Ramkumar debuts for Casey South Melbourne at age 16

Akshay Ramkumar took 8-0 playing junior cricket two years ago. On Saturday the ‘mystery spinner’ made a ‘super-impressive’ First XI debut for Casey South Melbourne in Premier Cricket.

Akshay Ramkumar receives his First XI cap from former Swans paceman Matthew Hawking.

Sixteen-year-old spinner Akshay Ramkumar started the Victorian Premier Cricket season in Casey South Melbourne’s thirds.

He is rising quickly. Last Saturday he became 2024-25’s youngest debutant when he took his First XI bow for the Swans.

With paceman Jackson Fry and leggie Liam O’Connor out with injury, Ramkumar was promoted to the top team for a pair of Twenty20 matches at the Albert Ground.

Described by his coach, Will Carr, as a “mystery spinner’’, he took 1-16 off four overs against Greenvale Kangaroos and 1-23 off three against Melbourne.

In both matches the rookie was trusted to bowl in the powerplay.

“Really good day for him … he was super-impressive in both games,’’ Carr said of Ramkumar, who was presented with his First XI cap by former Swans paceman Matthew Hawking.

“An opportunity presented with a couple of injuries – Jackson Fry went down with a sore back and Liam O’Connor hurt his ring finger last week – and Akshay had had a little taste in the Second XI and impressed out of sight.

“We just thought, with our make-up and what’s best for T20, he looked like a good option for us. We had a specific role in mind for him, to bowl in the powerplay, and he did it really well. He didn’t look out of place at all. He was up for the challenge.’’

Akshay Ramkumar after taking 8-0 in 2022.

Ramkumar, who is in the Victorian Country Under 17 emerging players program, joined the Swans 12 months ago, playing in the fourths and thirds and Dowling Shield.

He had started the season at Sub-District club Donvale, taking 6-77 off 28 overs against Caulfield in the First XI. He also played for Toorak Park Under 15s, Berwick Under 16s and Donvale Under 15s; all up he took 56 wickets and bowled in 35 matches.

In the previous season Ramkumar gained attention when he took 8-0, including a hat-trick, for Toorak-Prahran.

Carr said Ramkumar bowled his spin from the front of the hand.

“It’s more with the fingers … I suppose you could say he’s leg-spinner but he goes both ways,’’ he said.

“He probably falls into the category of mystery spinner.’’

Swans top-liner Ruwantha Kellapotha said Ramkumar was an exciting prospect, noting his “great control’’ and “smarts’’.

Yash Singh after taking a bag of five wickets for Lynbrook’s senior team.

Meanwhile, 12-year-old leggie Yashwant Singh took a star turn for Lynbrook in Turf 3 of the Dandenong District association on Saturday, grabbing 5-37 off 10.1 overs against Keysborough.

In October Singh became one of the youngest players in the long history of the competition to play top-team cricket.

“He’s got all the bells and whistles,’’ Lynbrook coach Shane D’Rozario said.

“He’s got all the variations you ask for: he’s got the wrong ‘un, the flat one, the straight one and a very good leggie he can pitch where he wants to. He’ll be a cricketer to come, don’t worry about that.’’

Originally published as Premier Cricket: Akshay Ramkumar debuts for Casey South Melbourne at age 16