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]

The first shot for me.

Nice images.

The red tulips in the first one really pop out of the dark background.

Pretty decent effort for handheld.

I think it just a case of lenses that were previously only available in Japan being sold elsewhere and being put on a 645 roadmap

Something odd going on with the left hand of the sax player in number 2. Sharpening artefacts??

Always amazes me how long chimneys remain after the houses are gone, you end up finding chimneys in the middle of nowhere.

It's a beautiful part of the world, a bit cumbersome to get to from the UK but well worth the effort, Aitutaki in particular is the most picturesque place I've been in the Pacific.

This was on a day with less than perfect weather so it's had a bit of PP to give it a bit of punch but it is 100% real.

Thanks, this one was escaping from my daughter's crab detention facility that kept her and Dad (with a macro lens) busy for hours

I don't think I've seen any photos from this part of the world posted on the forum previously so I thought I would share a few shots from a (not so - curse you post processing) recent holiday in the Cook Islands. C & C welcome.

One Foot Island in the Aitutaki Lagoon
[IMG]http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/3698/large/1_130623_IMGP7110_One_Foot_Island_seascape__Aitutaki__Cook_Islands.jpg[/IMG]

A coral sand cay in the Aitutaki Lagoon
[IMG]http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/3698/large/1_130623_IMGP7088_Lagoon_cay_seascape__Aitutaki__Cook_Islands.jpg[/IMG]

The fire dance at a cultural show on Rarotonga
[IMG]http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/3698/large/1_130618_IMGP6623_Dancers_at_Te_Vara_Nui_Village__Rarotonga__Cook_Islands.jpg[/IMG]

Some Polynesia beauties at a cultural show on Rarotonga
[IMG]http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/3698/large/1_130618_IMGP6663_Dancers_at_Te_Vara_Nui_Village__Rarotonga__Cook_Islands.jpg[/IMG]

Up close with one of the locals on the beach
[IMG]http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/3698/large/1_130620_IMGP6832_hermit_crabs__Aitutaki__Cook_Islands.jpg[/IMG]

I second the suggestions for El Gem and Kairouan you can do both in a day trip from Port El Kantaoui.

The medina in Kairouan is a great place to explore, the medina in Sousse too if you venture away from the "tourist souks", just head off down a little side alley here or there and get happily lost - you'll be perfectly safe. I found the Tunisians were very happy to have photos taken while they were going about their lifes with the exception of women wearing veils.

Sidi Bou Said is very picturesque if you are heading further north.

My favourite trick/scam in Tunisia was a friendly local approaching me in the street and having a bit of a chat e.g. what's your name, where are you from, how long are you staying etc, all very friendly, often they would advise me to wear my back pack on the front because their were lots of pick pockets around. Shortly afterwards we'd bump into the accomplice who claimed to be a staff member from our hotel and was able to quote back everything I'd told the friendly local as "proof" he knew me from the hotel. The accomplice/friendly hotel worker would then offer to take us to a special one day only berber carpet sale nearby. You can have a lot of fun feeding them information though!