
We8217;re not sure if 8216;who writes your script?8217; has a direct translation in Sinhalese, but if there is one, Ajantha Mendis must be flooded with this message on his cell phone after the end of today8217;s play.
With 25 wickets so far in his debut series, he broke the record set by English pacer Alec Bedser more than 60 years back. Bedser too had achieved the feat against India. It was the 25th wicket that would have given the spinner the greatest joy. With Tendulkar 77 runs short of becoming the highest run-getter in Tests, he got a two-fingered googly that hit him on the pads.
Just before the Test, when Mendis was asked about the record, he had mentioned that there was just one thing missing. 8220;Haven8217;t got Tendulkar out yet.8221; At the fag end of play today, he achieved both 8212; the record and his dream wicket. After the first Test, Tendulkar was the lone Indian batsman for whom Mendis wasn8217;t quite a mystery. And in the second Test, the duo didn8217;t come face to face Chaminda Vaas getting the Indian in both innings. And once debutant Dammika Prasad got Tendulkar in the first innings here, time was running out for Mendis. He delivered, in style.
Rival spinner Harbhajan Singh applauded the efforts of the history-maker. 8220;I wish I could pick his wicket-taking luck. We all bowl the same sort of deliveries. He has been the guy who has changed the series for them. Without him, I think Sri Lanka would have really struggled in this series,8221; he said.
In other words: Who writes your script, Mr Mendis?