In 2017 I have seen some extraordinary events on the cricket field, and by way of a personal retrospective of the year, here through some of my own smartphone * photography is a recap of some of my highlights:
January 3: David Warner century before lunch
David Warner’s century before lunch on the first day of the Sydney Test against Pakistan was the first time such an achievement had ever been made in Australia.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyMPxBAnxk/
January 4: Eoin Morgan’s walk-off home run
Eoin Morgan played a brilliant crafted Twenty20 innings for Sydney Thunder against Melbourne Stars at Spotless Stadium, building momentum until he blasted a straight hit six off Ben Hilfenhaus to win the game on the final ball of the 20th over.
January 14: Tied after the super-over, Thunder wins on countback.
In the WBBL local derby at the SCG, Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder scored 138 apiece. The resulting superover finished 8-all, the Thunder awarded the win on a countback of boundaries scored in the match. Ash Gardner’s 54 for the Sixers (pictured) was one of the match highlights.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOvQFkgjNI/
January 18: Ish Sodhi 6/11
New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, playing for the Adelaide Strikers, demolished the Sydney Thunder at Spotless Stadium, taking 6/11 from 3.3 overs to give the Strikers a 77-run victory.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPZ4x56g22w/
February 11: Moises Henriques 265
On the hottest day in Sydney in years, Moises Henriques completed an epic Sheffield Shield 265 for New South Wales against Queensland.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQW3cCBA7UY/?
March 7: Pat Cummins back in whites
After a long succession of setbacks, Pat Cummins played his first Sheffield Shield game in six years. Within weeks he was on the plane to India to join the Australian Test attack.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRUO2I1gkLg/
November 7: Mitchell Starc’s second hat trick of the game
Having taken a hat-trick in the first innings against Western Australia, Mitchell Starc did it again at the Hurstville Oval the next day to give New South Wales a stunning Sheffield Shield victory. I captured the moment Steve Smith took the catch to give Starc his second hat trick and NSW the win.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbMEPB6lj8O/
November 9: Opening night of the first day-night women’s Test
Australia played England under lights over four days at North Sydney Oval in front of an enthusiastic crowd. (I missed Ellyse Perry’s double century on the third day to be present at my first ever game of the Rugby League World Cup).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbRJnE-lb2Z/
November 25: Glenn Maxwell 278
Overlooked for the Australian Test team, Victoria’s Glenn Maxwell completed a Sheffield Shield 278 against New South Wales at North Sydney Oval.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb5k03RlosW/
December 9: Thunder beats Renegades in WBBL opener
Of about forty Twenty20 matches I have attended, the WBBL03 season opener between Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades was possibly the best of the lot. Renegades chased a then-record 201 for victory. Stafanie Taylor gave up just three runs in the final over to give Thunder an eleven-run victory. The photo is of the Thunder celebrations after Harmanpreet Kaur caught Amy Satterthwaite on the final ball of the game.
https://flic.kr/p/22g5vHu
December 19: Thunder beat Sixers on final ball of BBL opener
The annual cycle begins again and the Sydney Thunder beat the Sydney Sixers on the final ball of the game.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc4K2gXAZk6/
- Smartphones used for photography on this page: Samsung Galaxy S4 (2016-17 season), Motorola Moto G5 Plus (2017-18)