Tendulkar snap named year's best

A photograph of Sachin Tendulkar in his final Test appearance in Mumbai has been named the 2013 Wisden – MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year.

The image, taken by Mid-Day Media photographer Atul Kamble, shows Tendulkar about to walk out for his last innings in the second Test match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium in November.

Tendulkar’s final series was hotly anticipated and the winning picture shows fans clamouring to get a glimpse of him before his last innings.

The judging panel, made up of Chris Smith, Patrick Eagar, Nigel Davies, Eileen Langsley and Hugh Routledge chose Kamble’s image from a shortlist of 11 after choosing from nearly 500 entries submitted by both professional and amateur photographers from around the world.

The winner and two runners up are featured in the 2014 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and the eleven shortlisted photos will be displayed at Lord’s this season.

First prize is £1,000, both runners up are awarded £750 each and the other eight shortlisted entrants £150.

Chris Smith, Chief Sports Photographer at The Sunday Times and Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “The standard of photographs this year was very high as usual and it was a pleasure to look through them all with my fellow judges. In the end the sheer sense of occasion that the winning image captured won us over, and I would like to thoroughly congratulate Atul on winning the competition.

Here are the winners and shortlisted finalists of the Wisden and MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year 2013, in association with 21SI X, in full:

Winner

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Atul Kamble (India) Sachin Tendulkar walks out to bat one last time during the second Test match between India and West Indies. The build up to Sachin Tendulkar’s final series saw a huge outpouring of emotion from the press and fans, some of whom were lucky enough to get vantage points in the stadium for that last picture of the famous cricketer.
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India, 16th November 2013

Runner-up

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Shaun Roy (South Africa) Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli is hit in the face as he drops a catch off the batting of David Miller of Kings XI Punjab on his way to a 38 ball century during the Pepsi Indian Premier League.
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, India, 6th May 2013

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Md. Khalid Rayhan Shawon (Bangladesh) Children play cricket under the flight path of the Shahjalal International Airport in Baunia, Uttara. 
Dhaka, Bangladesh, 18th April 2013

Shortlisted winners 

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Andrew Boyers (England) England’s Kevin Pietersen takes a photograph of the replica Ashes Urn on his mobile phone with teammates Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell before the presentations to the England team at the end of the fifth Test.
Kia Oval, London, England, 25th August 2013

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Robert Cianflone (Australia) Australia’s Mitchell Johnson celebrates after taking the wicket of England Captain Alastair Cook during day two of the second Test match between Australia and England. 
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia, 6th December 2013 

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Anthony Devlin (England) Needing only one wicket to win the match and the series New Zealand’s Kane Williamson beats the ground in frustration as England’s last batsman, Monty Panesar, is given not out during the penultimate over during day five of the third Test match between New Zealand and England.
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, 26th March 2013

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Phil Hillyard (Australia) Bill Lawry has a quiet moment to himself prior to the New Year’s Test match at the SCG while reflecting on the recent and sudden death of his long‐time friend and fellow commentator Tony Greig, whose trademark wide brimmed sun hat sat on the top of the stumps before play. 
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia, 3rd January 2013

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Md. Mizanur Rahman (Bangladesh) The absence of playgrounds due to increasing urbanisation forces children to take the opportunity to play cricket wherever space allows, here between the rail lines. 
Khulna, Bangladesh, 13th April 2013 

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Andrew Cornaga (New Zealand) England’s James Anderson is caught behind by Ross Taylor off the bowling of Kane Williamson as the New Zealand players celebrate on the fifth day of the third New Zealand v England Test match. 
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, 26th March 2013

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Clive Rose (England) Arun Harinath of Surrey collides head first with Jeetan Patel of Warwickshire during day three of the LV County Championship Division One match. 
Guildford Cricket Club, Surrey, England, 7th June 2013

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Phil Hillyard (Australia) Australia’s Mitchell Johnson collides with Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal as he attempts to complete a run out while Johnson made his ground during day two of the third Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka. 
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia, 4th January 2013