Marillier shot
Encyclopedia
The Marillier shot is a modern shot in cricket
which involves using the bat as a ramp to flick a ball backwards over the batsman's shoulder for a boundary
. It is a rare, risky and unorthodox shot but when successfully used can be devastating. The shot was pioneered by Zimbabwean batsman Douglas Marillier
, after whom the shot is named.
with Zimbabwe
, Australia
and West Indies
, Zimbabwe played their final match with Australia and Marillier got a chance in the team. He could hardly have had a more testing experience, as a fine Zimbabwe batting performance after Australia scored over 300 meant that he came in at number seven needing to score 15 to win the match in the final over, which was to be bowled by Glenn McGrath
. Marillier moved across to the first and third balls he received from McGrath and flicked them over his shoulder to fine leg
for boundaries, reviving hopes of an incredible Zimbabwe victory. But he was just unable to complete the job, and his team lost by one run. His two courageous and unorthodox boundary strokes made him famous, with the shot becoming known as the Marillier shot.
Marillier continued to do reasonably well for the national side. In 2002 he "Marilliered" Zimbabwe to a famous win in India
in an One Day International at Faridabad,India with 56 not out
at the death, although this time he used the shot against Zaheer Khan
.
Other notable exponents of the Marillier shot include the New Zealand
wicket-keeper
Brendon McCullum
, Western Australia's former wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell
, the Indian
batsman Robin Uthappa
and the Sri Lankan
batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan
. Dilshan's success with a similar shot in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20
tournament has led Dilshan's shot being titled the "Dilscoop
"; there is some dispute over whether the Dilscoop is identical to the Marillier shot, or similar but distinct. Dilshan's team-mates have said that they call the shot the "Starfish," 'because a Starfish has no brain'.
The shot tends to be used only in the late stages of limited overs matches, due to the favourable field settings. The region behind the wicket tends to be more lightly patrolled by fielders at that phase of the game, so the risk-benefit status of the shot is more relatively favourable to the batsman. It is also physically dangerous because an incorrectly deflected or missed ball can hit the batsman in the head.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
which involves using the bat as a ramp to flick a ball backwards over the batsman's shoulder for a boundary
Boundary (cricket)
Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket:# the edge or boundary of the playing field, and# a manner of scoring runs.-Edge of the field:...
. It is a rare, risky and unorthodox shot but when successfully used can be devastating. The shot was pioneered by Zimbabwean batsman Douglas Marillier
Douglas Marillier
Douglas Anthony Marillier is a Zimbabwean cricketer.He is a right hand batsman and a right arm offspin bowler. One of earliest vulgarisers of the "scoop" stroke which is designed to sail over fine-leg, he has a one-day top score of 100, achieved in Sharjah against Kenya in April 2003...
, after whom the shot is named.
History
In a triangular tournament in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean cricket team
The Zimbabwean cricket team is a national cricket team representing Zimbabwe. It is administrated by Zimbabwe Cricket...
, Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
and West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
, Zimbabwe played their final match with Australia and Marillier got a chance in the team. He could hardly have had a more testing experience, as a fine Zimbabwe batting performance after Australia scored over 300 meant that he came in at number seven needing to score 15 to win the match in the final over, which was to be bowled by Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
. Marillier moved across to the first and third balls he received from McGrath and flicked them over his shoulder to fine leg
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
for boundaries, reviving hopes of an incredible Zimbabwe victory. But he was just unable to complete the job, and his team lost by one run. His two courageous and unorthodox boundary strokes made him famous, with the shot becoming known as the Marillier shot.
Marillier continued to do reasonably well for the national side. In 2002 he "Marilliered" Zimbabwe to a famous win in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in an One Day International at Faridabad,India with 56 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
at the death, although this time he used the shot against Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is an Indian cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. A left arm fast bowler considered as the best of the Indian fast bowling attack, Zaheer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, and as a batsman also holds the record for the highest Test...
.
Other notable exponents of the Marillier shot include the New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
Brendon McCullum
Brendon McCullum
Brendon Barrie McCullum is a New Zealand international cricketer, who plays for the Otago Volts at provincial level. He is a wicket-keeper, as well as an aggressive batsman who opens in One-day Internationals and is known for his fast scoring rate...
, Western Australia's former wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell
Ryan Campbell
Ryan John Campbell is a former Australian cricketer who currently plays for ICL's Ahmedabad Rockets. Known as Cambo, he played for the Western Warriors as a wicket-keeper and as a quick-scoring right-handed batsman, often as an opener...
, the Indian
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
batsman Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa
Robin Venu Uthappa is an Indian cricketer. His father is Venu Uthappa, an international hockey referee from Kodagu, Karnataka, mother Roselyn is a home maker and hails from Kozhikode, Kerala and his sister Sharon is a business owner. He studied at St. Joseph's Boys High School, Bangalore...
and the Sri Lankan
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan born October 14, 1976 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka is a Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team since April 2011. He has been a member of the team since November 1999, and was also known as Tuwan Mohammad Dilshan prior to his conversion...
. Dilshan's success with a similar shot in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20
2009 ICC World Twenty20
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 was an international Twenty20 cricket tournament which took place in England in June 2009. It was the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament, following the inaugural event in South Africa in September 2007...
tournament has led Dilshan's shot being titled the "Dilscoop
Dilscoop
The Dilscoop is a cricket batting stroke developed by Sri Lankan right-handed batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan during the ICC World Twenty20 held during June 2009 in England....
"; there is some dispute over whether the Dilscoop is identical to the Marillier shot, or similar but distinct. Dilshan's team-mates have said that they call the shot the "Starfish," 'because a Starfish has no brain'.
The shot tends to be used only in the late stages of limited overs matches, due to the favourable field settings. The region behind the wicket tends to be more lightly patrolled by fielders at that phase of the game, so the risk-benefit status of the shot is more relatively favourable to the batsman. It is also physically dangerous because an incorrectly deflected or missed ball can hit the batsman in the head.