An LS Lowry painting of a backstreet cricket match in Salford has fetched £1.2 million at auction.

Lowry’s A Cricket Match was one of only a handful of occasions when the artist turned his hand to depicting the sport as he gave centre stage to children as both enthusiastic players and spectators.

The sum paid for the 1938 piece of work quadrupled the price it made – £280,000 – when it was sold at its auction debut in June 1996, also at Sotheby’s.

Last month, the painting was unveiled to the public in a five-day view at The Lowry near to Old Trafford Cricket Ground, which is one of the venues for the ongoing World Cup tournament.