India thought they had this match in the bag but like the proverbial cat with nine lives, it wriggled away. But they can console themselves with the knowledge that for once, they didn't throw it away; it was snatched from them by the sheer brilliance of a man who rose to the challenge in stunning fashion. Douglas Marillier came to India as an offspinner who could bat a bit. We saw the offspin this morning, and it was nothing special. He had Sourav Ganguly stumped down the leg side and beat VVS Laxman with a beautifully-flighted delivery that nipped back in only to miss the stumps, but other than that he was hardly in the Muralitharan class.

If his bowling was pedestrian, the batting was out of this world. India's bowlers have never convinced in the latter overs of one-day matches but today, they were made to look utterly clueless. Zaheer Khan had bowled quite beautifully for eight overs before he ran foul of Hurricane Douglas. He feasted on Zaheer's yorker-length deliveries, stepping outside off stump with impunity and almost ladling the ball over the wicketkeeper. As far as innovative batsmanship went, it made Andy Flower's magnificent reverse sweeps look commonplace.

When he wasn't scooping out cupfuls of misery for the Indians, Marillier played the orthodox strokes with some aplomb. There were two superb lofted drives over cover and a sensational slog-sweep for six off Zaheer Khan's slower ball.

If India had watched their videotapes, they might have seen this coming. In February 2001, Zimbabwe had caused the Australians some heartburn with a superb display at Perth. Chasing 302 for victory, they got to within a run in a enthralling final over bowled by Glenn McGrath. Marillier faced just five balls in that innings but he gave the great McGrath the ladle-to-fine-leg treatment twice in the final over on his way to 12 not out.

This time, he had more time to do his thing, time enough to transform certain defeat into thrilling victory. When he walked out, the crowd was in crackers-and-drumbeats mode with India a small step away from a 1-0 series lead. Zimbabwe needed 65 from 34 deliveries or to put it bluntly, they didn't have a hope in hell. Ten fours, a six and 34 balls later, they were home, leaving the Indians to face yet another choking inquest. Marillier's contribution was 56, from a measly 24 balls. He's entitled to a beer or two tonight.

India will rue losing another close contest. But frankly, there wasn't much they could have done differently. They were beaten by a better man: it was Marillier's day.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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