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FARIDABAD (India), March 7: All-rounder Douglas Marillier hammered the fifth fastest 50 in one-day history Thursday as Zimbabwe clinched a thrilling one-wicket against India in the first game of a five-match series.
Marillier, who came in to bat with 65 runs required from 34 balls, slammed 10 fours and a six in his 24-ball 56 not out.
He raised his half century in just 21 balls, the fastest ever by a Zimbabwean and just four balls behind Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya’s world record of 17.
Left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan had struck in the first over, removing Craig Wishart for one and then bowling pinch-hitter Travis Friend for seven as Zimbabwe, chasing 275 for victory, slumped to 21 for two.
But former captains Andy Flower (71) and Alistair Campbell (84) came together for a 111-run third wicket stand.
Zaheer, who grabbed four wickets, then had captain Stuart Carlisle (23) edge a delivery to wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra and trapped Campbell lbw in an excellent second spell to put India on top before Marillier fashioned a stunning win.
Earlier, India had suffered a middle-order collapse after Vangipurappu Laxman (75) and Saurav Ganguly (57) added 77 for the third wicket.
But all-rounder Ajit Agarkar (40 off 19 balls) and Mohammad Kaif (39) brought up 63 runs off just 38 balls for an unbeaten seventh wicket stand to give them a fighting total.
The two left-handers, Flower and Campbell, shared in a vital stand, punishing the bad balls as the team’s 100 came up in the 23rd over.
Flower raised his 47th one-day 50, off 59 balls, with a single off Harbhajan to short cover.
His 72-ball knock, with eight fours and two sixes, ended when he edged a delivery from leg-spinner Anil Kumble on to his stumps.
After Campbell and Carlisle’s departure the match seemed to be virtually over, but Marillier had other ideas.
He mixed regular cricketing shots with his own brand of one-day improvisation, flicking right over the wicket-keeper’s head for three fours in an exceptionally plucky innings.
The winning runs also came with a boundary right behind the wicket-keeper off a Kumble no-ball.
INDIA:
D. Mongia c Taibu b Streak 25
S.C. Ganguly st Taibu b Marillier 57
V.V.S. Laxman run out 75
R.S. Dravid lbw b G.W. Flower 23
M. Kaif not out 39
S.B. Bangar c Friend b Streak 0
A. Ratra run out 6
A.B. Agarkar not out 40
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-6, NB-2) 9
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 274
FALL OF WKTS: 1-46, 2-123, 3-171, 4-193, 5-193, 6-211.
DID NOT BAT: Harbhajan Singh, A.R. Kumble, Zaheer Khan.
BOWLING: Streak 10-0-53-2 (2nb, 2w); Friend 10-0-68-0 (3w); Brent 10-0-68-0; Marillier 10-0-53-1 (1w); G.W. Flower 10-0-31-1.
ZIMBABWE:
A.D.R. Campbell lbw b Zaheer 84
C.B. Wishart b Zaheer 1
T.J. Friend b Zaheer 7
A. Flower b Kumble 71
S.V. Carlisle c Ratra b Zaheer 23
D.D. Ebrahim c Ganguly b Bangar 10
G.W. Flower c and b Harbhajan 2
H.H. Streak c Ganguly b Harbhajan 1
T. Taibu c Ratra b Bangar 8
D.A. Marillier not out 56
G.B. Brent not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-2, NB-6) 13
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 49.4 overs) 277
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-21, 3-132, 4-186, 5-193, 6-198, 7-200, 8-210, 9-252.
BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 10-2-47-4 (5nb, 1w); Agarkar 8-0-45-0 (1w); Bangar 9-0-42-2; Harbhajan Singh 10-1-48-2; Kumble 9.4-0-70-1 (1nb); Ganguly 3-0-20-0.
RESULT: Zimbabwe won by one wicket.
UMPIRES: S.K. Porel and I. Sivaram.
TV UMPIRE: S.J. Phadkar.
MATCH REFEREE: J.R. Reid (New Zealand).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Douglas Marillier.
NEXT MATCH: Mohali (D/N), Sunday.
—Reuters
