Cricket shot. Always trying to improve. C&C please!!!

After looking at many cricket shots on here I'm always taking advice and trying to improve. I only got to shoot for about 10 mins yesterday (as i was playing in the game) and shot in full manual mode for the first time. Unfortunately the boundaries are very big at this ground (about 60 meteres!). I was trying to achieve a resonalbly sharp image with my lens that is reknown as being a bit soft on the longer focal length and also trying to achieve a maximum DOF. I shot wide open and metered off the grass. and the result is something like the pic shown. This is at f5.6 1/1200 and has been cropped slightly. C&C more than welcome and very appreciated.

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anyone?

Hi Butcha
I have a 100/400L and still struggle with my images being sharp at full length.I was using a 2x convertor but on advice from my last posting left it at home yesterday and got quite a few keepers but they have to be cropped heavily.
Good shot though with ball in the shot and batsmen looking your way even if we cant see his face.
thanks for sharing and keep posting

Hi Butcha, has this shot been sharpened ? ive had a bit of a play hope you don't mind but i think this could be made to look better i'm rubbish at pp
I think that lens maybe holding you back pitty you don't live nearer you could have a go with my set up

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thanks gary, I hadn't sharpened it and that looks a bit better. I'm aware that the lens may be restricting me slightly. Still at odds whether to get the sigma 50-500mm f4-6.5 "Bigma" or the 300mm f/4 (your lens) next. They are similarly priced. I think I'm improving. Would love it if these boundaries werent so good. I'm off to the tennis today so hopefully it dosnt rain (its overcast) and I get a few worth posting! Thanks for the help