An image of Dwayne Bravo taking a full-length diving catch in mid-air has been named the Wisden–MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year 2014.
Runner Up - the Australians and South Africans leave the field in Port Elizabeth
The photo (main image), taken by Getty Images photographer Matthew Lewis, shows Bravo stretching to dismiss Australia’s James Faulkner during last year’s ICC World Twenty20 competition in Bangladesh. West Indies went on to win the match by six wickets with two deliveries remaining.
Matthew Lewis said: “I had just returned to my pitchside position after taking photos of the crowd and this was my first picture after sitting back down. Dwayne Bravo first fumbled the ball facing away from me but then twisted around 180 degrees and took a terrific catch. My focus had been on the batsman but I swiftly switched to Bravo to capture his outstretched hands as he held on to the ball. It was an amazing catch and it was great to have captured it.”
Runner Up - Nurul Hasan in is bowled by Dale Steyn
Nurul Hasan, of Bangladesh A, looking despairingly at his scattered stumps after being bowled by South Africa’s Dale Steyn during an ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match in Bangladesh
The judges also chose two runners-up. South African Morne de Klerk, another Getty Images photographer, captured a striking shot of Australia and South Africa’s players leaving the field at the end of day three of the Second Test at Port Elizabeth, in February.
Matthew Lewis was also the second runner-up – making him the first photographer in the history of the competition to be both winner and a runner-up. His second image shows Nurul Hasan, of Bangladesh A, looking despairingly at his scattered stumps after being bowled by South Africa’s Dale Steyn during an ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match in Bangladesh, in March.
A shortlisted entry
Images in the 2014 top eleven captured everything from amateur cricket at Bexley CC in England to a Test match in Australia, via a record-breaking game on Mount Kilimanjaro. Other winning images featured broken bats, broken noses and a poignant portrait of Phillip Hughes.
The competition attracted over 400 entries from around the world. Once again it included many entries from amateur photographers – and one, Andy Clay, made the shortlist of eleven. His image shows Bexley CC’s Joe Russell getting agonisingly close to holding a spectacular one-hand catch on the boundary during a match last season.
The judging panel was chaired by former Chief Sports Photographer of The Sunday Times, Chris Smith, and included world-renowned cricket photographer Patrick Eagar. Award-winning sports photographer Bob Thomas joined the panel for 2014.
A shortlisted entry
The winner and two runners-up are featured in the colour section of the 2015 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and the eleven shortlisted photos will be displayed at Lord’s this season.
New sponsors J.P.Morgan increased the financial rewards on offer for the competition. First prize has been doubled to £2,000, while the two runners-up prizes are increased to £1,000 each, and the other eight shortlisted entrants’ prizes to £250.
Chris Smith, who chaired the judging panel, said: “The standard of photographs in this year’s competition was outstanding, and Matthew Lewis’ image is a worthy winner. We also saw a very strong selection of entries from amateur photographers, which is always encouraging, and I’m pleased that Andy Clay’s fantastic shot made it on to the shortlist. There is an excellent range of photographs in the top eleven and everyone on it is fully deserving of their prizes and recognition.”
The winner
James Buttler
As the editor of Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author and a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications.
He's unsurprisingly a complete cricket badger!
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