New Zealand's Ajaz Patel celebrates the dismissal of India's Mohammed Siraj to claim his 10th wicket. Photo / AP
New Zealand's Ajaz Patel celebrates the dismissal of India's Mohammed Siraj to claim his 10th wicket. Photo / AP
After picking up four wickets on the first day of the second test against India, Ajaz Patel said: "This is what dreams are made of."
What happened next was the stuff of pure fantasy.
Patel wrote a new page into the annals of New Zealand sport, becoming the third bowler in the 144-year history of test cricket to take 10 wickets in one innings.
The Black Caps - or, rather, Patel - bowled out India for 325 shortly after lunch at Wankhede Stadium. The tourists' batsmen then removed some of the gloss, collapsing to 62 all out, but the state of the match suddenly seemed much less significant.
In a scarcely believable 48 overs across four sessions, Patel put his name alongside England's Jim Laker, in 1956, and India's Anil Kumble, in 1999 - three men to have completed the perfect 10.
The fact Patel achieved the feat in Mumbai - the city where he was born and lived until immigrating to New Zealand aged eight - only added to the unfathomable nature of proceedings.
On the eve of the test, the 33-year-old spoke of his excitement about returning to India's largest city once more, this time wearing a silver fern on his cap.
And after removing the Indian top order on day one, Patel called it a dream come true, flourishing in his first chance to play in front of the family members he usually sits beside in the stands on trips to Wankhede.
It would have required the wildest of imaginations for Patel to envisage the events of day two, finishing the innings with figures of 47.5 overs, 12 maidens, 10 wickets for 119 runs.
Sensational! Just sensational!! To take all 10 wickets in a Test innings is the stuff dreams are made of. Take a bow, Ajaz Patel, you are in the elite company of Jim Laker and Anil kumble. And to do it in the city of your birth, wow!! pic.twitter.com/iA6biAC4gz
Since 1985, Sir Richard Hadlee's 9-52 has loomed large for Kiwi sport fans. New Zealand's greatest bowler recorded that haul at the Gabba, playing Australia, one of the toughest tests in the sport.
But facing India on the subcontinent also ranks rather high in that particular category, and Patel tore through the hosts in unprecedented fashion.
That tear resumed in the second over of the second day, as Patel snared two scalps in as many balls.
Wriddhiman Saha was the first victim of the morning, trapped in front by an arm ball, as Patel knelt down to kiss his home turf in celebration of his third five-wicket bag in tests.
One ball later he was delivering a kiss of death to Ravi Ashwin, sending down a delivery so deceiving the batsman thought he had been given out caught behind. Incredibly, with the bails on the ground, Ashwin briefly attempted to lodge a review.
Patel continued to extract fierce turn, deftly changing his pace and release point while controlling his length, but India managed to advance to lunch on 285-6.
Any rearguard, however, was quickly undone by Patel. Opener Mayank Agarwal had been leading that effort, bringing up his third 150 before being snaffled well by Tom Blundell.
Patel had equalled Stephen Boock, Daniel Vettori (twice) and Mark Craig in taking seven test wickets as a Kiwi spinner; soon he flew past the trio.
Axar Patel was the next to fall, trapped in front, and Patel needed only one more over to complete the set.
First, he got Jayant Yadav to hole out to Rachin Ravindra. Then, three balls later, Mohammed Siraj skied one high close to the wicket and Ravindra took the historic catch, setting off a swarm of celebration around New Zealand sport's newest hero.
The Black Caps swarm Ajaz Patel after his 10th wicket. Photo / AP
After his 4-73 on the first day, Patel had been spotted eyeing up the honours board in the bowels of Wankhede Stadium, hoping to take just one more wicket and earn his place alongside some legends of the game.
Instead, he took six. Perhaps they can etch his name in bold.
