A photpgraphic introduction to cricket

[knowlesy]

today, it is currently 11.55pm UK time, I attended the 2nd test match between England and South Africa at

Headingley Stadium, Leeds, England . I know that the majority of American users will not be completely familiar with

the rules of the game but I think they are mostly decent action shots nonetheless, and perhaps the excitement

shown will convince you to learn more about this sport played throughout the ex-British Empire and increasingly

elsewhere. All shots taken with K100 and Pentax-A 70-200 lens:

 

James Anderson of England bowls at approximately 85 mph:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=anderson.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/anderson.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

South African batsmen score a run:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=run.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/run.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Kevin Pietersen of England bowls a slower "offspin" delivery:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?action=view¤t=kp.jpg"

target="_blank"><img src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/kp.jpg"

border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Monty Panesar of England believes the batsman has been caught out and appeals to the umpire:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=montyappeal.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/montyappeal.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

England's Ian Bell throws the ball to the wicket keeper:

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action=view¤t=bellthrows.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/bellthrows.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

The same player takes a magnificent catch:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=catch.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/catch.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Andrew Strauss, Tim Ambrose and Andrew Flintoff stare in disbelief as a ball they might have caught passes a

fraction too high:

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action=view¤t=overslips.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/overslips.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

A South African batsman plays a fine stroke into the off side:

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action=view¤t=goodshot.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/goodshot.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

A.B. De Villiers of South Africa scores 100 runs:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=ab100.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/ab100.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

England are sadly a long way behind and likely to lose or draw at best, but a game can last five days and this is

only the 3rd:

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action=view¤t=scores.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/scores.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

England captain Michael Vaughan leaves a ball from South Africa's N'tini:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=ntini.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/ntini.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Dale Steyn of South Africa appeals for a 'leg before wicket' dismissal:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=appeal.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/appeal.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

and finally...umpire and players alike avoid the pitch invader:

<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/?

action=view¤t=invader.jpg" target="_blank"><img

src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t165/knowlesy_01/Headingley%202008/invader.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

[knowlesy]

no text

[starvy]

i think a little faster shutter speed would have been more useful here. i hope you don't mind me saying so.

[knowlesy]

however with it being a cloudy day for the most part there wasn't a lot more could be done

[garry_young1]

Great stuff Thomas! I would love to be there. Amazing how we (I am an "ex"-South African) came back to force the draw in the first test!

[garry_young1]

You also forgot to mention as a way of impressing our North American friends that Dale Steyn, the South African fast bowler, regularly bowls at over 90 mph, and gets close to 100 mph some of the time. ;-)

[mountainvisions]

Ahh, if she was only a streaker...than you'd have had my attention!!!

 

I don't get cricket, seems like a bad version of baseball (but then you fellows over there are saying, "I don't get baseball, seems like a bad version of cricket").

 

Of course the knock on American baseball is that it's a slow sport, but then we rarely have a game last 5 days.

 

Your shots seem a little to heavily cropped, and the shutter speed seems a bit slow. Seems like you needed a bit longer lens from the stands.

[knowlesy]

shutter speed was up to 1/3000 a lot of the time but you're right I simply can't afford a longer lens at the moment so a bit heavier cropping was necessary but hopefully I still managed to convey the excitement we all feel as fans.

 

and I always think baseball is a bad version of rounders - a game played here by schoolgirls - which you guys say about 'soccer'

[mc2imaging]

Perhaps we need to have some friendly 'Cricket v. Baseball', 'Rugby v. Football', and 'Soccer v. Hockey' shoot-offs...

[jptreen]

surely that should read 'Cricket vs Baseball' 'Rugby Vs American Football' and Football Vs Hockey'

 

:)

[andrewg_ny]

I don't think Pentax ever offered an A 70-200. Were these taken with the Pentax-A 80-200 f/4.7-5.6 or A 70-210 f/4?

 

With regards to shutter speeds, the few of these I examined indicated ISO 400. I wouldn't be shy about using ISO

800 or ISO 1600 on your K100D to raise the shutter speed, better freeze motion and reduce camera shake and

possibly even stopping down the aperture for a little more depth-of-field and lens sharpness.

 

While I love baseball, I'm sure if I'd grown up in a cricket-playing country I'd probably have learned to

appreciate it as well. *Maybe* rugby. As for soccer, I'm not so convinced.

[andrewg_ny]

On second examination, the shutter speed on most of those was already fairly high. Is something else robbing sharpness (unsteady holding, focusing issues, soft lens)?

[joshroot]

I think it's the heavy cropping that it's affecting sharpness. Good moments caught, but Thomas is running into a few equipment limitations it appears. Happens to everyone in various situations. Particularly in situations that aren't your primary photographic interest (thus making it less likely that you will have the best equipment options).

[mc2imaging]

I have a Takumar A 70-200mm f/4 constant. It's kind of a pain to use because of the 'one touch' sliding focus/zoom barrel,

but it can make very nice images. A favorite hold-over from my days when the P30t was my primary shooter.

[mc2imaging]

Sorry, I was going to tack this on, but hit the wrong button (blame it on the 102°F fever)...

 

The 70-210 was SMC, the 70-200 was not. They look essentially the same though.

[knowlesy]

I'm no expert in the back catalogue of Pentax, but my lens says Pentax A zoom 1:4 70-200mm, to be honest I rarely use a long zoom so I have only bought other lenses and kept this one I got thrown in free with a 35mm slr from a Cash Converters, basically a UK nationwide chain of pawn shops.

[henkc]

"South African batsmen score a run"

 

You say this as though it was an irregular occurrence :-).

[knowlesy]

the word is it's a spinner's pitch and that means Monty will tear it up - as for Harrison - oh dear :)

[knowlesy]

either way he's pretty poor, just a shame your batsmen are performing so much better than ours! Don't worry though, I am a Yorkshireman and I have confiedence in Michael Vaughan, he will find form and a big score yet.

[garry_young1]

Ha ha Thomas - you seem a little defensive?

 

Well, we pulled a stunning draw out of the bag, and then a commanding victory. But you say Edgbaston is a spinner's pitch hey? Well, then I guess I am worried.

 

I don't rate Paul Harris very highly, and Monty is the man. We'll just have to see.

[garry_young1]

Well, Thomas. Monty didn't have the pitch he needed in the end. Flintoff nearly pulled it off though. Great series, and the first series win in England for SA in many many years!!