Marillier shot
The Marillier shot or ramp shot, similar to the Dilscoop 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 Dougie Marillier, after whom the shot is named.
History
In a triangular tournament in Australia 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 303 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 two runs. His two courageous and unorthodox boundary strokes made him famous, with the shot becoming known as the Marillier shot.[1]
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.[2]
Other notable exponents of the Marillier shot include the New Zealand wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum,[3] Western Australia's former wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell, the Indian batsman Robin Uthappa, the Somerset and England batsman/wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, 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.[4] Dilshan's Dilscoops is unique and different from Marillier shot, because Dilshan scoop is played right above the head of Wicket-keeper, not by sides of the Wicket-keeper. Dilshan's team-mates have said that they call the shot the "Starfish," 'because a Starfish has no brain'.[5]
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.