Well bowled Ajaz for Perfect 10!

(By Manasi Agarwal)

The bright sunny Saturday 4 December 2021 in Mumbai witnessed a memorable day of cricket history at Wankhede stadium, when Ajaz Patel of New Zealand bagged all 10 Indian wickets in the first innings. It’s just a chance that the bowler achieved this feat in the city, where he was born 33 years back, when it was known as Bombay. He bowled total 47.5 overs giving away 119 runs. The first session of the match on previous day was completely washed out due to rains in Mumbai. The play could be started in the second session. Winning the toss Indian captain Virat Kohli elected to bat first. Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill opened the innings for India. The pair gave a good start and scored 80 runs without loss of any wicket. In the 28^th over Ajaz Patel struck and got Gill caught by Taylor for his individual score of 44. Thereafter Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli both got out without scoring a run and scoreboard still on 80. Both these wickets were also taken by Ajaz. Shreyas Iyer joined Mayank Agarwal in the middle and both of them had a partnership of 80 runs when Iyer fell to Ajaz at a personal score of 18. The wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha walked to the middle and together with Mayank contributed useful partnership of 64 runs. During this partnership, Mayank Agarwal completed his century, 4^th in his brief carrier of 14 Tests matches so far. With the close of play on day 1, Mayank was not out on 120 runs and Saha on 25. Ajaz Patel claimed 4 wickets for New Zealand on Day 1. The second day started on time and the Indian team was all out on 325 runs at 1.04 pm in 109.5 overs. Mayank Agarwal scored 150 runs (17*4, 4*6). Ajaz Patel returned with a figure of 47.5-12-119-10. He is only the third bowler in the 144 years of Test history to achieve this feat. Before him English bowler Jim Laker and Anil Kumble have achieved this rare feat. Laker while playing for England team against Australia in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1956 claimed all 10 wickets in the Australian second innings. The Wisden in its report said “this memorable game will always be known as Laker’s Match because of the remarkable performance by the Surrey off-break bowler in taking nine wickets for 37 runs in the first innings and ten wickets for 53 in the second”. Anil Kumble repeated the feat in the second Test against Pakistan in Delhi in February 1999 by taking all Pakistani wickets in the second innings for 74 runs. The Wisden rated it as the second best “Bowling performance of all time”. Ajaz Patel is the third bowler to claim 10 wickets in an innings. Incidentally he is a left-hand bowler, while the other two were right-handed.

The second day of this Test match will also be remembered for New Zealand debacle in its second innings. The entire team was out for just 62 runs in 28.1 overs. It is the lowest ever total of the New Zealand team against India in a Test match and overall 4^th all-time lowest. Latham (10) and Jamieson (17) were only two batsmen to reach double figures. India did not force follow-on to New Zealand and declared its second innings at 276/7 on day 3 giving a target of 540 runs to the New Zealand. Mayank Agarwal was again the top scorer for India with 62 runs.  With 540 runs lead for NZ in the fourth innings on turning pitch, the writing on the wall was very clear. NZ ended the third day at 140 for 5 wickets. Mitchell (60) and Nicholls (44) were could resist for some time but NZ were all out on the fourth day at 167. India won the match by huge margin of 372 runs and ended New Zealand’s 10-match unbeaten streak in Test cricket. The 372-run win was India’s biggest margin of victory in terms of runs in the longest format of the game. The Virat Kohli-led side won the two-match Test series 1-0 for India’s 14th consecutive Test series win at home. Mayank Agarwal was the player of the match for his 150 runs in the first innings and 62-run knock in the second. In spite of New Zealand loss, this Test match will be remembered in the annals of Test-cricket history for the rare achievement of Ajaz Patel claiming for 10 wickets in an innings.