Former Zimbabwe cricketer survives leopard attack

Former Zimbabwean cricketer Guy Whittall has survived a leopard attack in his home country after being mauled by the animal during a hunting expedition.

The 51-year-old has undergone surgery in Harare following the incident.

Whittall’s dog, Chikara, is believed to have saved Whittall’s life after going after the leopard. The dog was also bitten and injured by the leopard.

Hospitalised

According to various reports Whittall was tracking the leopard after it had been wounded by hunters. The Whittall family run a conservancy and safari business in Humani, in the south east of Zimbabwe.

The incident happened earlier this week.

Whittall’s wife, Hannah Stooks-Whittall, confirmed the incident in a Facebook post, accompanied by pictures of Whittall being treated in the bush after sustaining cuts to his arms and legs.

A picture showed Whittall in hospital with his head heavily bandaged, but giving a thumbs-up to the camera.

According to his wife, Hannah, Whittall lost a lot of blood, but the attack could have been worse had it not been for the dog who helped fight off the leopard.

“Chikara (is) coming up tomorrow to the vet (earlier this week) after being mauled by the leopard and getting the cat off Guy!” she wrote. “Very special boy.

Crocodile under bed

This is not the first time the former cricketer, who played 46 Tests and 147 ODIs for Zimbabwe, has been in the news for an incident involving a wild animal.

Eleven years ago Whittall is said to have spent a night in his room at the reserve with an eight-foot, 125kg Nile crocodile under the bed. It is believed the crocodile walked up to Whittall’s room from a nearby river and maybe itself comfortable under the bed the former cricketer was sleeping in.

His wife Hannah told MailOnline: “He really is one lucky man. First he had the crocodile and now the leopard, he really is the cat with nine lives.”

For full story in MailOnline and pictures click here.