One thought that the failure to get across the line with victory within sight in limited-overs cricket was limited to South Africa. At Bulawayo, the Windies needed four from the last over with five wickets in hand. It looked destined that the sparse home crowd would witness another bad day in the office for their side.
The ball was handed to Donald Tiripano, who hadn’t bowled since the 10th over. He was up against a man who smashed four sixes off four balls in the T20 World Cup final, and another big-hitter in Jason Holder.
Holder, facing the first ball, drove the ball to the deep on the off-side and got a single. West Indies need three from five now. Carlos Brathwaite goes for a needless long hop from a length delivery, failing to get a clean swipe of the ball, and ball goes straight to long on’s throat. It sends the crowd in a tizzy and Zimbabwe are interested.
Ashley Nurse is run out at the non-striker’s end as Tiripano gets a hand on Holder’s straight-drive, and the ball went on to crash onto the stumps.
The batsmen could only get two from the next two deliveries, which leveled scores. The penultimate delivery could have resulted in another wicket but Chamu Chibhabha couldn’t hold on to a catch in the deep. It was an excellent effort to allow the Windies to just take a single.
Holder goes for a wild swing off the last ball and misses. Zimbabwe keeper Peter Moor collects the ball and hits the stumps with a direct hit to catch Jonathan Carter short of his crease. Wild scenes break out at the Queens Sports Club with ecstatic players running in all directions. This was only the 34th tie in the 45-year-old history of One-Day Internationals.