Just days after coming under fire after images of him posing beside dead African wildlife during a hunting expedition were posted online, more evidence into retired Aussie cricketer Glenn McGrath’s hunting obsession has emerged.
New photographs showing the now 45-year-old arriving with his whole family in South Africa ahead of a stay at well-known hunting lodge Imbasa Safari in 2011 have surfaced, despite the sporting legend recently condemning he took part in a big game hunting safari in Zimbabwe in 2008.
In the photos, Glenn, his wife Sara, 32, and his two children with former wife Jane – James, 14, and Holly, 12 – are seen loading their personal belongings into one of the lodge’s pickup vehicles.
Woman’s Day has since learned the lodge, located just outside Kimberley in the malaria-free Northern Cape, was in fact owned by a close family friend to the McGraths at the time and is often visited by celebrities and European royalty.
According to its website, the company offers “rifle hunting and bow hunting with experienced professional hunters and the best local trackers, on over 30,000 hectares of land”.
“We have over 20 different antelope species, including kudu, gemsbuck, lechwe, springbuck and blesbuck as well as giraffe and buffalo.”
The website also shares images of smiling rifle-wielding hunters crouching down with dead wildlife, including a giraffe and beloved zebra, which is hunted for its beautiful hide.
It goes on to say, “It’s the perfect spot to bring your family and friends as we also offer many activities such as photo safaris, walking safaris, kiddies safaris, golf, spa treatments, historical and cultural activities, fly fishing, water-skiing, canoeing and white-water tubing.”
And while we are yet to see any photos of the family at the luxury hunting lodge, the cricketing legend did post a testimonial to the site from their time on what was rumoured to be a family “honeymoon” following Glenn and Sara’s Australian wedding in November 2010 and before their Sicily wedding in July the same year.
In the testimonial, Glenn thanks the lodge’s owners for “an amazing six days” and boasts about notching up a few more “trophies”, before signing off from the whole family.
“You have an incredible place here and you should be really proud,” he writes.
“Thank you so much for making our family vacation amazing. Your kindness and generosity have secured us as loyal and faithful clients of Imbasa.
“We are proud to be members of the Imbasa family. I am very happy with the trophies I hunted. These memories will last forever. Once again, thank you to everyone at Imbasa, we will definitely be back,
“Kindest regards, Glenn, Sara, James and Holly McGrath (Australia)”
On Saturday, the former fast bowler took to Twitter to respond to the public backlash following the emergence of images showing him posing with dead animals, including an elephant.
“In 2008 I participated in a hunting Safari in Zimbabwe that was licenced and legal but in hindsight highly inappropriate,” a statement read.
Glenn, who had just lost his wife Jane to breast cancer at the time, went on to say, “It was an extremely difficult time in my life and looking back I deeply regret being involved.”
The photos, which were published on the website Chipitani Safari Co in Zimbabwe have since been removed.
And while cricketing fans have labelled the hobby “disgusting”, Glenn has never shied away from the fact that he’s an avid hunter.
“I’m keen to get into trophy hunting,” he told Sports Shooters Association of Australia in 2007.
“No animal in particular, but a big safari in Africa would be great.
“I do have a passion for hunting and it’s something I do want to continue once I’ve finished with cricket,” he said.
