The Sunday Mail
CHEVRONS bowler Donald Tiripano reveals that life has not been the same since the day he successfully defended five runs in the last over of the tied ODI against the West Indies at Queens Sports Club.
On November 19 this year, the West Indies appeared to be on their way to victory as they needed five runs off the last over.
Two giant West Indian T20 champion batsmen were on the crease, Carlos Brathwaite and captain Jason Holder.
The West Indies had five wickets in hand.
Tiripano had a huge challenge and the first ball he delivered was a fuller ball outside off.
Holder got a single.
With Brathwaite on strike and four runs needed, Zimbabwe’s chances looked slim, but Tiripano’s trickery of a slower ball deceived the batsman whose shot found the man at long on.
Four runs were needed off four balls with four wickets.
The next delivery saw Tiripano running out Ashley Nurse, deflecting Holder’s shot to the stumps at the non striker’s end where Nurse was out of his crease.
Holder was still in, so the West Indies had hope and they got a single of the fourth ball, leaving the equation at two needed off two.
Jonathan Carter was the new batsman on strike and he scored a single after Tiripano delivered another cutter.
Scores were level with Holder on strike.
Tiripano bowled a full outside off delivery out of the batsman’s reach and when they tried to steal a single Carter was run out by wicket keeper PJ Moor.
Zimbabwe and West Indies had tied the match and Tiripano was the hero.
Now as he celebrates Christmas the 28- year old batman looks back at an over that changed his life.
“It boosted my confidence and brought value to my career. It brought out the real me,” said Tiripano.
There were reports that his heroics also boosted his salary.
“That’s not true,” Tiripano demurred.
He continued: “This year has been a testimony of the grace of God upon my life and I have clearly seen that we can practice hard and do everything but without the presence of God in our lives we are empty.”
When The Sunday Mail contacted Tiripano last Tuesday morning, he was coming from a road run in his home town of Mutare.
“You can’t stop working hard,” he said.
“Personally I have goals that I need to fulfill in my career and I believe fitness is the first step. I want to play Country Cricket.”
Tiripano revealed that early in his career he was once considered a batting all-rounder and wants to do more with the bat.
He has a first class hundred to his name and has chipped in with some good knocks down the order for the Chevrons.
“When I started playing franchise cricket I was a batting all-rounder and had sort of lost it. However, I am working hard,” he said
Tiripano small talk
When you are bowling and a catch goes in the air which player would you want under the ball?
Sean Williams
Who is the fitness freak in the Zimbabwe team?
Tari Musakanda
Most talkative? (Laughs and refuses to answer)
Who is a better football player?
Streaky
Who is your favorite wicket in the nets?
(Laughs and doesn’t answer again.)
Who would you spend Christmas with?
My family, they are the best
Who would win a Chevrons marathon race?
I will win the marathon race
And a 100m sprint?
I think Vusi Sibanda will take it.
Any player to look out for from the Mountaineers?
Kudzai Sauramba who can become a great batsman for Zimbabwe if given the chance.
