Bouncers, black bails and bad weather at Old Trafford

England kicked off their three-match Test series against Sri Lanka last week with victory and Bradley Ormesher (who was able to capture a fair few more scenes than artist Andy Brown, more on that to come) was there to document all of the action, from pigeons to beer snakes and everything in between.
England’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford had just about everything: great cricket, sunshine, rain and even a visit from Storm Lilian. Having said that, not too much playing time was lost to the weather. This is a portrait of Joe Root in his sweat-stained England cap.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 400mm lens; 1/4,000th sec; f3.5; ISO 640
Considering this was played in August, some parts of the game were cold. Here spectators watch from one of the hotels overlooking the pitch, wrapped in their duvets.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/2,000th sec; f5; ISO 2000
Mark Wood is bowled by Asitha Fernando during England’s first innings. I’m not too sure about using black bails — at ground level they get a bit lost in the background of the crowd. From up top, though, it’s completely different with them standing out against the pitch.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 70-200mm zoom lens (set at 200mm); 1/2,000th sec; f6.3; ISO 500
Players leave their caps on the ground as they pay their respects to the former England batsman Graham Thorpe after his death in early August.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 400mm lens; 1/2,500th sec; f3.5; ISO 640
It was like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds as this flock of pigeons kept coming back to the same part of the square. I can only presume it has been recently seeded.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/1,250th sec; f5; ISO 800
Dark clouds loom over Old Trafford while the pitch is bathed in sunshine. This was a regular occurrence over the four days — exposing for the sunshine darkens the clouds, giving them a more dramatic look.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 16-35mm zoom lens (set at 16mm); 1/500th sec; f20; ISO 400
Andy Brown, the renowned artist, was at the boundary painting Old Trafford. Brown has worked all over the world and made his name in the US painting baseball stadiums.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 24-70mm zoom lens (set at 24mm); 1/800th sec; f6.3; ISO 800
This is the ground-level view of Wood being bowled by Fernando. As I mentioned above, I don’t like the black bails from this angle.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/2,500th sec; f5.6; ISO 800
Storm Lilian arrived on Friday morning and blew away the covers as groundstaff tried to get the pitch ready for play.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 70-200mm zoom lens (set at 135mm); 1/10,000th sec; f4.5; ISO 400
This tickled me probably more than it should. The crowd plays a game of cat and mouse with the beer snake and stewards, who kept moving in to break up the snake while fans moved it away from them. Childish, but amusing.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/1,600th sec; f5.6; ISO 800
Dinesh Chandimal avoids a bouncer from Wood during Sri Lanka’s first innings.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/2,500th sec; f5; ISO 800
England’s Jamie Smith attends to his media duties in the Manchester setting sun after hitting his first Test century.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 70-200mm zoom lens (set at 70mm); 1/320th sec; f32; ISO 100
A diving Vishwa Fernando is run out by Ollie Pope and wicketkeeper Smith. A nice frame, but I wish I was at the other end and he was head on.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/1,250th sec; f5; ISO 2000
The ball flies past Chandimal’s head after a delivery by Wood. I really like the shape of the batsman and bowler in this frame.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 70-200mm zoom lens (set at 200mm); 1/2,000th sec; f6.3; ISO 320
Cranes formed a background at Old Trafford as building work continues on what looks like a very large construction next to the ground.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 24-70mm zoom lens (set at 61mm); 1/5,000th sec; f7.1; ISO 800
England’s temporary captain Pope is out in the second innings, bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya and caught by Dhananjaya de Silva.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/2,500th sec; f7.1; ISO 800
The detail of the black armbands the England players wore in honour of Thorpe.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/8,000th sec; f5; ISO 800
This week’s wild card — the crowd’s reflection in the windows of the pavilion.Equipment used: Canon EOS R3; 560mm lens (400mm fitted with x1.4 converter); 1/1,000th sec; f5.6; ISO 640