Craig Simmons bat breaking picture wins Wisden award

Before the 2015 Wisden-MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year Competition, Craig Simmons was a relatively unknown personality. For many Aussie cricketing enthusiasts, Simmons was just another southpaw playing for the Adelaide Strikers, looking for his much-needed break in cricket. However, following the awards night, Simmons became the most talked about batsman. However, it wasn’t because of his hard-hitting batting prowess, but for a picture a photographer took while he was batting.

Getty Images photographer Robert Cianflone too received some of the accolades. The incident occurred in the semifinal of the 2015 edition of the Big Bash League when the Adelaide Strikers played the Sydney Sixers in the semifinal. Chris Smith, the judge of the panel said that the picture demanded attention.

“As a judge going through lots of pictures it’s a great feeling when you come across a shot like Robert’s,” said the chairman of the judging panel, Chris Smith. “It was this picture that made us stop and look. It demanded attention. All the elements came together in a beautifully composed image with no little humour.”

The appealing picture shows a shocked Craig Simmons after the willow had soared into the air, leaving just the handle in his hand. The judging panel also included world-renowned cricket photographer Patrick Eagar, award-winning sports photographer Bob Thomas and former art director of The Cricketer magazine, Nigel Davies, along with former chief photographer of the New Musical Express, Kevin Cummins.

The runner-up for the competition was Darrian Traynor once more from Getty Images for his picture titled: “Dale Dhamarrandji, from Gapuwiyak, Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, has an impromptu practice session in the dry Todd River with his Miwatj Dolphins teammates during the 2015 Imparja Cup, a tournament for Indigenous Australians.”

Vishnu V Nair from Malayala Manorama was also part of the shortlist having taken a picture of a group of men playing in the heavy rains of Dadar.

Also Read – Kane Williamson named Wisden cricketer of the year for 2015