1st ODI, Faridabad
Thursday, March 7, 2002

This has been the most unbelievable one-day match I have seen. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think Zimbabwe would win this one. It was a magical turnaround.

My sympathies are with Sourav Ganguly, who made the right bowling changes throughout. Perhaps, he could have been sharper with his field placements - like moving the fine-leg finer at the death - but this game wasn't lost by Ganguly as much as it was won by Douglas Marillier.

Marillier has been promoted up the order in one-day cricket in the past, and I often wondered why. The answer was evident today. He showed tremendous ball-sense, and his anticipation was spot-on. It wasn't as if Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble were predictable; they did all they could to vary their deliveries, but Marillier proved to be too good.

Though the defeat would have sent shock-waves through the Indian camp, they cannot be faulted much. It was one of those days where God singles out a player to do his thing, and nothing can come in his way. What the Indians would have learnt, though, is never to take a match for granted.

India had actually done quite well before Marillier took control. Zaheer Khan provided the breakthroughs – including the key dismissal of Alistair Campbell - just when the team needed them.

Eventually, it came down to one man's innovation and self-belief. I have a feeling that Marillier's paddle behind the wicketkeeper could become a new fad. But only batsmen with extraordinary ball-sense will be able to pull it off.

Sanjay Manjrekar, stalwart of the Indian batting in the early `90s, was talking to H Natarajan.

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