Matthew Lewis’s photo of Nottinghamshire players and coaching staff caught in a Trent Bridge blizzard is today announced as the winner of the Wisden Photograph of the Year competition by an expert panel.

Chris Smith, chair of the panel and former chief sports photographer of The Sunday Times, said: “It’s always good to see a picture that brings a smile, as this one certainly does. If the snow flurry had arrived five minutes earlier, surely they would have waited until it stopped. And if it had arrived five minutes later, we would have been denied a most unusual and humorous picture.”
 
Patrick Eagar, also on the panel, said: “There’s something about the contradiction – it being taken just as the season starts. The team group are perfectly composed, the subjects are in their best kit, and the photographer has them lined up to perfection. Only it’s still winter!”

Lewis, who is the first to claim the award twice, after winning in 2014, has been a professional photographer for more than 20 years; he was working for Getty Images when he took the picture. “It’s a real honour to win the Wisden Photograph of the Year,” said Lewis. “The competition means so much to me, having been a previous winner and runner-up. It was a bright spring morning for the pre-season photocall, though we knew snow was possible. And, just as everyone had got into position, it began. I think the expressions on their faces – especially Stuart Broad’s – sums it all up!”

The runners-up are:

▪ Phil Hillyard’s black-and-white image of groundstaff removing covers at 6.30 on a gloomy morning during the Fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 6, 2022.

▪ Philip Brown’s photograph of South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj airborne at full stretch in a valiant attempt to catch Alex Lees of England, during the Third Test between England and South Africa at The Kia Oval on September 11, 2022.

The winning entries feature in the 2023 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack – to be published on the 20th of April 2023. They, plus seven other shortlisted entries, are on display for 12 months at The Kia Oval in London.

There are also three new prizes for amateurs, provided by the competition’s supporting partner MPB – the online platform for used photography and videography equipment. The best image by an amateur was taken by Elysa Hubbard, who wins a £300 MPB voucher. The runners-up, Pratik Shetty and Sowrav Das, each win a £100 MPB voucher.

[caption id=”attachment_291513″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] The best image by an amateur, taken by Elysa Hubbard[/caption]

 

[caption id=”attachment_291515″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Amateur runner up, Pratik Shetty[/caption]

 

[caption id=”attachment_291516″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Amateur runner up, Sowrav Das[/caption]

The 2022 competition attracted almost 500 entries from around the world. In addition to Chris Smith, the judges were the acclaimed cricket photographer Patrick Eagar; former art director of The Cricketer Nigel Davies; and former MCC filming and photography manager Clare Adams.

Notes to editors:

The winning image, the two runners-up, the seven shortlisted images and the three amateur prize-winners are all available for hi-res download from: https://photos.app.goo.gl/gP1ysUzhLJTYTLmd6

(All credit and caption details can also be found in this folder. All images were taken in 2022.)

These images can be reproduced for editorial purposes subject to being clearly captioned as the winning image (or runner-up, as applicable) in the Wisden Cricket Photograph of the Year 2022 competition.

CREDIT DETAILS FOR THE WINNING AND SHORTLISTED IMAGES:

Winner: Matthew Lewis (Freelance for Getty Images)
Nottinghamshire’s players and coaching staff at their Trent Bridge photocall during a snow flurry on March 31.
Runner-up: Phil Hillyard (Freelance for Sydney Cricket Ground)
A black-and-white image of groundstaff removing covers at 6.30 on a gloomy morning during the Fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 6.
Runner-up: Philip Brown (Popperfoto)
South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj airborne at full stretch in a valiant attempt to catch Alex Lees of England during the Third Test at The Kia Oval on September 11.

Shortlisted: Philip Brown (Popperfoto)
Twelve-year-old Mohammad Sarfraz bats near Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan, on December 15.

Shortlisted: Scott Barbour (Australian Associated Press)
England captain Jos Buttler lifts the T20 World Cup after England beat Pakistan in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 13.

[caption id=”attachment_291517″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″]
Shortlisted: Donald MacLeod (Freelance)[/caption]

Alex Steele, 82, who played for Scotland between 1967 and 1982, keeps wicket for Rossie Priory against The Forty Club. Despite lung problems that require him to carry an oxygen tank, Steele can manage about ten overs. Rossie Priory, near Dundee, Scotland, Sept 24.

Shortlisted: Andrew Boyers (Action Images)
A view from a drone of a T20 Last Man Stands cricket match between MK Stallions (batting) and MK Super Kings during the 2022 drought. Milton Keynes, August 10.

Shortlisted: Alex Davidson (Getty Images)
England captain Ben Stokes speaks to team-mates during the (delayed) Fifth Test between England and India at Edgbaston on July 3.

Shortlisted: Dave Vokes (Freelance)
A horizontal Nathan Ellis of Hampshire Hawks, moments after bowling to Tim Seifert of Sussex Sharks in a Vitality Blast match at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, on June 4.

Shortlisted: Jed Leicester (Freelance)
London Spirit openers Beth Mooney and Danielle Gibson walk through the pyrotechnic display during the Women’s Hundred match against Welsh Fire at Lord’s on August 24.

Amateur winner: Elysa Hubbard

Two Nepali groundswomen prepare the pitch with a heavy roller before a Cricket Association of Nepal v MCC v fixture, part of an MCC Women’s tour; in the background is the stunning Annapurna mountain mange. Pokhara Cricket Ground, Rangashala, Nepal, November 1.

Amateur runner-up: Pratik Shetty

A carpet is used to ensure a good surface and sufficient bounce for cricket in the mountains near Hatta, Dubai, on December 2.

Amateur runner-up: Sowrav Das
Cricket on a part-submerged vessel carrying sand in Karnaphuli river, near the Karnaphuli bridge, Chittagong, Bangladesh, in December.

For further information and press enquiries, please contact: Katherine Macpherson Katherine.macpherson@bloomsbury.com