Anand Vasu

One man's meat, they say, is another man's poison. Zaheer Khan, bowling with pace and accuracy, almost knocked the stuffing out of the Zimbabwe side with 4/15 from 8 overs. At 210/8 in 44.3 overs, Zimbawe's cause looked a lost one - a further 65 runs needed off 33 balls. Enter Douglas Anthony Marillier. Extreme situations demand innovations of the kind Marillier exhibited. It was not just the fact that he scored 56 runs in 24 balls with 10 fours and 1 six under extreme pressure. It's the manner in which he gave the opposition no chance that bears repeating.

Like a fencer outmanouvering his opponent, Marillier ducked, weaved, sidled around his crease, nimble-footed before using the bat as precisely as a surgeon's scalpel and as powerfully as a shovel heaving dirt. When he walked out to bat, there were murmurs about his cheeky six over deep fine leg against Glenn McGrath. That was once - a freak, a risk someone took and got away with... Marillier versus India was a repeated, sustained assault that won Zimbabwe a game that was all but lost. One man's belief took Zimbabwe to triumph.

Relive his complete innings - ball-by-ball:

44.2 Bangar to Ebrahim, OUT: slow and outside the off, Ebrahim plays a
        cross batted heave to the on side, the ball catches the toe of the
        bat and goes straight up in the air, Ganguly pouches it

       Zimbabwe 210/8, Partnership of 10
       DD Ebrahim  c Ganguly b Bangar  10 (15b 0x4 0x6)
       T Taibu 5* (10b) SB Bangar 7.2-0-31-1

  44.4 Bangar to Marillier, one run, back of a length and on the off,
        driven inside out through covers
  44.6 Bangar to Marillier, FOUR, back of a length and on the off,
        Marillier comes down the track and opens the face of the bat,
        slashing the ball away to the third man fence

End of over 45 (7 runs) Zimbabwe 217/8 (RR: 4.82 RRR: 58/5 = 11.60)
SB Bangar 8-0-38-1 - Pavilion End
T Taibu 7* (12b) DA Marillier 5* (2b 1x4)

  45.2 Kumble to Marillier, FOUR, just short of a length and outside the
        off, Marillier makes room and chops the ball down very fine to the
        third man fence, clever clever cricket
  45.3 Kumble to Marillier, no run
  45.4 Kumble to Marillier, FOUR, overpitched and on the off, Marillier
        gives himself room and whacks the ball away through third man
  45.5 Kumble to Marillier, one run

End of over 46 (10 runs) Zimbabwe 227/8 (RR: 4.93 RRR: 48/4 = 12.00)
A Kumble 9-0-59-1 - Scoreboard End
DA Marillier 14* (6b 3x4) T Taibu 8* (14b)

       Zaheer Khan the man of the day comes on to bowl
  46.1 Khan to Marillier, two runs, just short of a length and outside the
        off, Marillier waits on that ball and runs the ball down to third
        man - albeit over point - for a brace
  46.2 Khan to Marillier, FOUR, back of a length and on the off, Marillier
        comes down the track, makes a bit of room for himself and flays
        the ball through covers, exciting batting here
  46.3 Khan to Marillier, (noball) two runs, full, straight and on the
        middle and off stump, Marillier walks right across his stumps and
        scoops the ball, incredibly it flies over the keeper to third man!
  46.3 Khan to Marillier, no run, full and wide of the stumps, Marillier
        plays and misses
  46.4 Khan to Marillier, SIX, full and on the pads, Marillier moves to
        the on side, gets his foot down the wicket and absolutely hits the
        cover off the ball in a heave over midwicket
  46.5 Khan to Marillier, FOUR, quick one on the pads, Marillier walks
        right across his stumps, the fielders can only watch in dismay as
        the cheeky batsman swats the ball over the fine leg fielder who is
        inside the circle!
  46.6 Khan to Marillier, one run, full and on the off, tapped to cover,
        quick single stolen

End of over 47 (20 runs) Zimbabwe 247/8 (RR: 5.26 RRR: 28/3 = 9.33)
Z Khan 9-2-35-4 (1w 2nb) - Pavilion End
DA Marillier 33* (13b 5x4 1x6) T Taibu 8* (14b)

  47.1 Bangar to Marillier, FOUR, full and on the off, Marillier comes
        down the track and hammers the ball through covers
  47.2 Bangar to Marillier, one run

       Marillier has batted incredibly well here
  48.1 Khan to Marillier, no run, short, quick and fast, Marillier makes a
        bit of room but can only swish at it as the ball goes through to
        the keeper
  48.2 Khan to Marillier, (noball) legbye: one run, back of a length and
        on the pads, played and missed, the ball goes off the pads towards
        short third man
  48.5 Khan to Marillier, (noball) FOUR, full and on the off, slower one,
        Marillier waltzes across his stumps and scoops the ball straight
        down past the keeper to the fence, amazing shot
  48.5 Khan to Marillier, FOUR, and again! this man is amazing! Marillier
        smacks the ball back over the keeper once more! what incredible 
        innovation this is! We're witnessing something special!
  48.6 Khan to Marillier, one run, full and on the off, driven just wide
        of point for a single

End of over 49 (13 runs) Zimbabwe 265/9 (RR: 5.41 RRR: 10/1 = 10.00)
Z Khan 10-2-47-4 (1w 4nb) - Pavilion End
DA Marillier 47* (20b 8x4 1x6) GB Brent 0* (5b)

       10 required off the last over with Marillier on strike, incredible
        stuff from him so far. Can he make this a fairytale finish?
       Kumble to bowl the last over
       This is going to be a very tense over. Kumble is not that easy to
        get away
  49.1 Kumble to Marillier, FOUR, full and on the off, Marillier gives
        himself room and crashes the ball inside out through the covers,
        what a shot! and that is 50 for Marillier! Well played young man!
  49.2 Kumble to Marillier, one run, back of a length and outside the off,
        tapped to point
  49.4 Kumble to Marillier, no run, full but slipping down the leg side,
        played and missed, rapped on the pad
  49.5 Kumble to Marillier, (noball) FOUR, short ball on the off, pull
        played, no-ball called, all happening here, the ball races away to
        the third man fence right over the keeper! Zimbabwe win!
        Marillier!
       What an incredible game of cricket this has been! Just when
        Zimbabwe were down and out... when everyone was writing them off,,
        one man played an absolute blinder!
       Douglas Marillier with some of the most incredible innovations you
        have ever seen in limited overs cricket smashed 56 not out off 24
        balls with 10 fours and 1 six to take Zimbabwe to a blistering win
       There have been some great run chases in the history of this game
        but you can be sure this is right up there with any of them!
       The excitement is palpable, and there really can be no doubt who
        the man of the match is Doug Marillier. Let's just wait for the
        official version though!
       Anil Kumble, usually one of the most stingy bowlers in world
        cricket when for 70 from 9.4 overs, Zaheer Khan who had 4/15 from
        8 overs ended with 4/47 from 10!
       India have managed it again - snatched defeat from the jaws of
        victory!
       All credit to Zimbabwe, they have pulled off a win that is the
        stuff dreams are made off - Marillier clearly the hero on the day.
        You can be sure he will be the toast of all Zimbabwe today!
       After being comprehensively outplayed in the Tests Zimbabwe have
        bounced back in tremendous fashion. This win will boost their
        morale no end going in to the remaining 4 matches!
       To find out more about this exciting cricketer make sure you have a
        look at his player page on CricInfo:
        Click here
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        log on to your favourite site:
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       Till the next time you join us for a match in this series - on the
        10th of March for the second ODI from Mohali (Day/Night) starting
        at 1430 local time, 0900 GMT, it is a very good evening to you all
        from the team at CricInfo!
       Please send all your feedback on our coverage to comms@cricinfo.com
        we appreciate all responses!
       Marllier played sensationally today, every cricket fan around the
        world would have enjoyed his innings tremendously. Commiserations
        India, congratulations Zimbabwe and goodbye from Faridabad!