David Gardiner led the team which sculpted Glenn McGrath’s wax statue © AFP
Sydney: Jul 31, 2013
Australian legend Glenn McGrath is the latest addition at Madame Tussauds wax museum in Syndey. McGrath’s statue finds itself alongside other cricketing legends like Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne.
According to an NDTV report, senior sculptor David Gardiner and his team undertook the task of reproducing the structure from 300 measurements and completed it in approximately three to four months.
“We took some motion capture videos of McGrath doing his bowling action, which was really interesting for us to sculpt,” said Gardiner. The decision to sculpt McGrath’s statue was decided by a nation-wide poll which went in favour of the legendary fast bowler. McGrath’s outfit resembles his look during the 2006-07 Ashes.
A delighted McGrath said, “It’s just so life-like, they even put every strand of hair individually, which took around six weeks. To be voted and seeing the finished product makes it that little bit more special. I think it means that little bit more to me because people wanted me in here.”
McGrath played 124 Test matches for Australia with 563 wickets to his name. He went past Courtney Walsh’s record of 519 in 2005 to become the leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Test cricket. He last played for Australia in 2006-07 Ashes which the Aussies comprehensively won 5-0.