Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
THE saying “A dog is a man’s best friend” rings true, when dogs’ history of loyalty and close companionship are considered.
Former Zimbabwean international cricketer Guy Whittall (51) narrowly escaped death in a leopard attack while hunting on his family’s safari operation in Humani, Masvingo province.
Whittall was reportedly mauled by a wounded leopard when his K9 dog, Chikara, intervened and fought off the big cat, sustaining injuries itself.
Whittall underwent emergency surgery in Harare due to significant blood loss, but is now in stable condition and making a steady recovery.
His wife, Hannah Stooks-Whittall, said her husband is a lucky man with nine lives, having also survived an eight-foot crocodile under his bed back in 2013. The cricket fraternity has wished Whittall a speedy recovery.
“Guy and I are overwhelmed by the hundreds of messages from well-wishers after Guy’s run in with a wounded leopard. We are very fortunate that he was stabilised at Hippo Clinic by wonderful staff. He was then Airlifted from Buffalo Range by Ace
Ambulance to Milton Park Hospital in Harare for treatment.
“Chikara is seeing the vet after being mauled by the leopard when getting the cat off Guy. Very special boy,” Stooks-Whittall wrote on her Facebook page.
In an interview with Mail Online, Stooks-Whittall said her husband is a lucky man.
“He really is one lucky man, first he had the crocodile and now the leopard, and he really is the cat with nine lives. He was so fortunate that Chikara was there to help him and get the leopard off him otherwise who knows how it might have ended.
“Fortunately, Guy is up in bed and talking, he’s telling anyone who will listen how he wrestled with a leopard, but we all know it was down to Chikara,” she said.
A true all-rounder, Guy Whittall carved his name in Zimbabwean cricket history across 193 matches (46 Tests and 147 ODIs) as both a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler.
He played a pivotal role in the Chevrons’ maiden Test win against Pakistan in Harare in 1995, scoring a memorable century.
Whittall’s resilience shone through further with unbeaten double centuries against New Zealand (203* in Bulawayo, 1997) and Bangladesh (119). He added another century (188*) against New Zealand, along with 10 half-centuries, amassing a total of 2 207 Test runs and claiming 51 wickets.
Whittall contributed significantly in ODIs, scoring 2 705 runs at an average of 22,54, with a top score of 83 against Kenya (1997). His bowling prowess translated well in ODIs, bringing him 88 wickets. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter