When the going gets tough, Marillier gets going
The body language of the Indian team in the last five overs of the match was that of a team trying to defend, whenall they really had to was pick up two tail-end wickets to finish the game
Erapalli Prasanna
08-Mar-2002
India's loss against Zimbabwe at Faridabad was not the first time
that they snatched defeat from the very jaws of victory. India's
poor one-day record at the Nahar Singh Stadium now looks even
worse after the stunning win that Zimbabwe pulled off in the
first match of the five-game series on Thursday.
| The body language of the Indian team in the last five overs of the match was that of a team trying to defend, when all they really had to was pick up two tail-end wickets to finish the game. The pressure also got to the umpires, one of whom handed out a poor decision against Tatenda Taibu. |
The Indian captain did not do his team any favours through poorly
thought out field placements and bowling changes. Sourav Ganguly
needs to readjust his thinking cap and seriously think about onfield strategy. Such matters will go a long way in determining
India's fortunes in the 2003 World Cup.
The real mettle of a player, captain or umpire shows only when he
is under tremendous pressure. We saw, in the recent Delhi Test
match, how a few individuals wilted under the pressure. It was no
different in Faridabad, with number 10 batsman Douglas Marillier
playing a do-or-die innings, even as Ganguly and his boys
literally stood benumbed by the onslaught.
The body language of the Indian team in the last five overs of
the match was that of a team trying to defend, when all they
really had to was pick up two tail-end wickets to finish the
game. The pressure also got to the umpires, one of whom handed
out a poor decision against Tatenda Taibu.
Fortune is determinedly partisan to the brave; Marillier played
one of the most stunning one-day knocks in recent memory. I must
say that the self-belief this Zimbabwe team has shown on the tour
is simply superb. I had mentioned this crucial element in my
previous column as well.
Having said that, I thought Zaheer Khan bowled superbly. He was
by far the best bowler on the day, although he completely lost
the thread in his final two overs. In spite of the Marillier
miracle, I single out the 111-run partnership between Andy Flower
and Alistair Campbell as the one that laid the foundation of the
sensational victory.
Chasing a target of 275 was never going to be easy, especially
after Zaheer Khan had made early inroads by picking a couple of
wickets. The senior Zimbabwe batsmen, however, played with a lot
of determination against the double-spin attack of Harbhajan
Singh and Anil Kumble. If Andy Flower had not fallen to Kumble,
attempting an ambitious shot, those two would have made it look
much easier for the visitors. Campbell also played an innings of
character - the hallmark of the Zimbabwe team.
I thought the Indian batting plan almost worked to perfection. It
was a good idea to open with Dinesh Mongia, and the Indian
batting line-up had remarkable depth to it even without the
services of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. It was
particularly pleasing to see Ganguly and Mongia make useful
contributions, as also the responsible manner in which VVS Laxman
played.
Ajit Agarkar seems to relish the slog overs, and the quick-fire
partnership of 63 runs with Mohammad Kaif helped India to post an
imposing score of 274. Zimbabwe's bowling looked a bit overenthusiastic, and it was, on the whole, a disappointing show by
the visiting bowlers. Instead of attacking on just one side of
the wicket, they bowled on both sides and gave away many runs in
the process. Zimbabwe's fielding was, as always, very good, but
they were made to look ineffective as the Indian batsmen calmly
exploited the gaps in the field.
All credit to Zimbabwe, therefore, for a remarkable victory.
India's pride has been damaged with this loss at home, and the
result will make the next encounter at Mohali a truly engrossing
affair.