A gutsy cricketer and a modern-day innovator. Two terms that describes Douglas Marillier in entirety. An aggressive lower middle order batsman who sometimes opened the innings, Marillier has played some entertaining knocks for the team during his time.

He started out playing cricket for North Park Primary School. His dad, Anthony Marillier, was a policeman who had played a first class game for Rhodesia in the mid-70s and he encouraged Douglas to play the game. However, at the age of 16, he was involved in a horrific car-crash that left him wheel-chair bound for close to three months. Many doubted that Marillier would ever play cricket again. Remarkably, he managed to recover from the accident and he resumed playing cricket.

Marillier made his ODI debut against New Zealand during September/October of 2000. He had an immediate impact in the third ODI at Bulawayo where he was involved in a record 97 run opening partnership with Alastair Campbell. This stand helped Zimbabwe win by six wickets and clinch the three match series 2-1.

His finest moment though came against India in the first ODI played at Faridabad in March 2002. It was at this game where he unfurled the Marillier scoop. He had already made the shot famous when he used it in the game against Australia last year in an ODI at Perth but it was in this game where he used it to give Zimbabwe an amazing victory.

Coming into bat with his side struggling at 210/8 in the 45th over, Marillier immediately tore into the Indian bowling. By moving across to the off side, he used the bat as a ramp to flick the ball backwards over his shoulder and to the boundary. His vicious, unbeaten 56 came off just 24 balls and it included 10 fours and a six. Zimbabwe won the match by one wicket and the Marillier shot became famous.

Marillier struggled for consistency afterwards and he became disillusioned with the politics of the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. He left Zimbabwe in 2004 and tried to be a professional cricketer in England. He did not gain much success and he chose to concentrate on his family's real estate business. Surprisingly, after a gap of nearly five years, Marillier was signed up the Mashonaland Eagles franchise in early 2010. There is now talk within Zimbabwe that Marillier could make a comeback into the national team in the near future.

Marillier was included in a provisional 30-member squad for the Caribbean tour in 2010 but did not make the final cut.

By Cricketlineguruji Staff