Cricket - Sheffield Shield Final

These are from the recent Sheffield Shield Final (Australia's first class domestic competition) between New South Wales and Western Australia which was played in Canberra because the Sydney Cricket Ground had already been taken over by Autralian Rules football.

The match was fairly low key with free entry so I thought I would see if I could get in with my Sigma 150-500 and have try my hand at shooting some professional sport. Cricket seems to be relatively easy to shoot as most of the action is slow moving and predictable but I tried to get the ball in every shot to add some action.

All shot with the Sigma 150-500 handheld on my K10d.

Australian off spinner Nathan Lyon batting for NSW @400mm
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8229_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zps560fe909.jpg[/IMG]

Lyon demonstrating his forward defence @310mm
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8189_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zps3059d986.jpg[/IMG]

Pull shot @500mm
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8238_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zps5787e57e.jpg[/IMG]

Ashton Agar (famous for scoring 98 in his test debut batting no. 11) sending down some of his a left-arm orthodox spin @ 400mm
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8162_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zps939ed1c8.jpg[/IMG]

Agar really putting in some effort @440mm
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8204_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zpsd49340c6.jpg[/IMG]

Moises Henriques walks off after being caught for 140
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8236_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zps74455613.jpg[/IMG]

DA*16-50 @ 50mm

Manuka Oval
[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/140322_IMGP8243_SheffieldshieldfinalManukaOvalCanberra_zpsec2903f1.jpg[/IMG]

Nice set.. They give a good feel to the day. Ive done a bit of cricket myself. Its not so easy. My favourite is the pull shot. Bit of a shame the stand was empty.

Excited crowd!

It a big country and not nearly enough people to fill it up

Mike, you've done a good job there of catching some action - the first two with the ball in shot are great. Th 3rd 4th & 5th may benefit from a bit tighter cropping I feel. Thanks for sharing some different sports!

Thanks for the feedback.

The Sheffield Shield competition struggles to attract crowds at the best of times. There was about 2,000 people at the game but most of them were sitting in the covered stands and shaded areas instead of the empty stands you see in the background where they would have been looking into the sun.