THIS stunning image by Matt Hunkin overcame more than 700 rival entries to earn a place on the short list in the Wisden-MCC Cricket 2018 Photograph of the Year competition, writes Steve Hill.

Matt captured Maddie Hughes – a great great great great niece of WG Grace - in action for Gloucestershire Girls on tour against Wadduwa Central College in Sri Lanka.

And the picture clinched a £250 prize as well as the great honour of being displayed inside and outside the MCC Museum at Lord’s for the summer.

Matt said: “It was a lot later after the tour that I read something on social media about the competition and managed to get three entries in just before the deadline.

“Months went by, and I was going to get a haircut when the phone rang and a lady from Lord’s said I had been shortlisted. It was completely unexpected and a great surprise.”

Matt, a graphic designer and former swing bowler for Frenchay, was particularly delighted that he was one of only two amateurs to be recognised in a list of ten highlighted world-wide entries, and is also thrilled that the judging panel included Patrick Eager.

He added: “Patrick is probably the only cricket photographer I could name so to be recognised in this way is very pleasing.”

Matt was in Sri Lanka supporting daughter Maisie who was a member of the Gloucestershire squad that won two and lost three matches of a memorable tour.

She is a Frenchay team-mate of Maddie who finished with figures of 6-15 against Wadduwa to help set up a six-wicket victory.

The match was played at the Surrey Village Ground which was built after the 2004 tsunami thanks to funds raised by Surrey County Cricket Club.

Matt’s photography can be seen at his two Instagram accounts: @bristolpictures and @cricketskies