Ganguly: I have not seen anybody play like this
Special Correspondent - 07 March 2002

With Zimbabwe 210 for eight in 44.3 overs, Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly must have felt that his team had sealed their win in the first one-dayer. After all, the visitors needed another 65 runs from 33 balls with only the last two wickets to spare. But on the great Viv Richards’ fiftieth birthday, a Zimbabwe No. 10 by the name of Douglas Anthony Marillier proceeded to do the improbable, stealing the match away from the Indians with a daring and aplomb that the great Viv himself would have cherished. At the post- match press-conference, Ganguly talked about the “amazing” Marillier innings and about India’s performance:

What went wrong for India?

Till the end we thought we were winning the match, but Marillier played wonderfully well. It was an amazing knock, I have not seen anybody playing like this in international cricket during the last seven years or so. It was simply amazing.

But you must be disappointed at the way Zimbabwe won the match?

It was very frustrating and disappointing, but it was an amazing knock. We just needed to pick one wicket, but then in times like this, when someone is playing a dream knock, you can't do anything. Marillier took it away from us.

Did you tell your bowlers to do something different because he was playing just one stroke?

He wasn't merely playing one stroke. He played some other shots too but it was difficult to place fielders for his ‘sweeps’. Our bowlers were experienced but...

Zaheer Khan went for 32 runs in his last two overs…

Don't forget he had bowled well till that point. He had four wickets for about 15-16 runs but Marillier changed all that.

Now, will there be pressure on India?

Of course, we have to start afresh. We have to win the remaining matches and not show complacency. I think it's not a bad thing that pressure will be on us, as the youngsters will have to play to their potential. We go to Mohali on Friday with the sole objective of winning the game (the second one-dayer) on Sunday.

How keenly is the absence of Sachin, Sehwag and Srinath felt?

They are world-class players; any team will miss them. But, they are not playing and we have to adjust accordingly. As I have been saying, it's for the youngsters to seize the opportunity.

VVS Laxman's return to form must have pleased you?

Yes, Laxman is the sort of guy who can turn it around quickly. He needed some runs to lift his confidence and I am sure he is as eager as anybody else to perform in the series.

And what about your own knock?

It felt nice from the moment I took strike. It's good to start the series with a big score as it gives you a boost. Hopefully, the upcoming matches will be good too.

Indian coach John Wright, for his part, felt that his bowlers could have bowled a fuller line to Marillier:

Didn't you have any plans for Marillier?

I think we should have bowled fuller and straighter. But as Sourav said, when a batsman is batting like this, he can do anything and get away with it. It wasn't our day.

But losing to Zimbabwe in India should be a worry for the Indians?

Yes, it is, we have to be careful in future. It's a lesson for us, and we have to learn from our mistakes.

What are India's strategies for the upcoming matches?

Not anything specifically, but we have to work on our weak spots. We have to try and get the best of out of what we have right now.

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