All cricket balls, be they red, pink, white, or any other color, have the same cork core that gives them their bounce and weight. The centre is then encased in pre-dyed leather hemispheres.
Kookaburra dominates the world of limited-overs cricket with their Dukes and SG models. Their elegant pink ball has revolutionised the day-night Tests by its visibility under floodlights.
The Origins of Cricket Balls
The bat may be the heart of cricket, but the ball is its soul. The game started as a simple shepherd’s pastime and has grown into an intricate sport with unique technicalities, but it is the humble leather ball that is at its core. It is the one tool that every cricket player has in their arsenal and is the foundation of the game’s strategy and tactics.
The origins of the game are unknown, but it is known that the ball dates back to the early sixteenth-century. Initially, it was probably a broom stick with a piece of wool tied to it, but it is now manufactured by three major companies in the world: Dukes, SG and Kookaburra. All three manufacturers keep their exact manufacturing processes a closely guarded secret, but they all produce high-quality balls that comply with British Standard BS 5993.
A cricket ball is composed of a cork core tightly wound with strings and enclosed by a leather cover with a slightly raised stitched seam. The stitching used to hold these components together is known as a “quarter seam” and is the main distinction between pink and white balls. The seam on the pink ball is a mixture of linen and synthetic, while the red balls seam is purely synthetic.
The red ball was the only kind of ball used in cricket matches until 1977, when it was replaced by the white ball. This new ball is designed to last for 80 overs, and has a pronounced seam that aids seam bowlers and spinners alike. The white ball is also said to swing earlier because of its lighter finish, but it’s hard to prove since it would be difficult to test it under yellow floodlights.
The White Ball
Red balls are synonymous with the game of cricket and have been an integral part of the sport since its inception. They offer a unique blend of swing and seam movement when new, but become harder to control as they wear. Due to this, the ball requires careful polishing by the bowler. To achieve this, they are often rubbed against their trousers and may even have saliva or sweat applied to it. This polishing is essential in order to maintain the smooth surface of the ball as it ages, thus allowing the seam to perform effectively.
In the early 2000s pink balls were introduced into the game. They became popular for limited-overs matches. The white ball was not suitable for day-night test matches because of poor visibility. It also deteriorated quickly and could only last 80 overs. The pink ball contains more dye than its red counterpart. This helps to preserve the colour better and improves its performance over time.
Cricket balls are made the same way, regardless of color: a cork core is layered with tightly coiled strings and covered with a leather cover with a slightly raised seam. The ball is then weighed and inspected before being stitched together. Once the seam is complete, the ball is dipped in various dyes until a preferred shade is found.
Most cricket balls are now made on the subcontinent in factories such as Dukes, SG and Kookaburra. These factories are located mainly in Sialkot, Meerut and Jalandhar (India) and Sialkot, Meerut and Jalandhar (Pakistan). Umpires constantly inspect the cricket ball during a match to ensure it is in good condition and follows the rules of the sport. If the ball is deemed to be in bad shape, it will be replaced with a similar looking one.
The Pink Ball
Cricket betting tips can be like a scientific experiment. Even the smallest of changes in conditions can have a big impact on the outcome. And that’s especially true when it comes to the ball. Even the smallest change in the ball’s colour, from red for centuries to pink for day and night Test matches, has had a major impact on the way the game is played.
The idea of pink balls was initially controversial, but they quickly gained acceptance once they were proven to be effective. It’s simple: traditional red balls are hard to see under floodlights and therefore unsuitable for night-time Test matches. Cricket manufacturer Kookaburra thought of the idea to use pink balls for these matches.
Before settling on the colour pink, the manufacturers tried other colours, such as bright orange and optic yellow. These colours were easier to spot by fielders taking high catches, but batsmen complained that the colors tended to merge with brownish patches common on cricket pitches.
Once the final decision was made to use a pink ball, a lot of work went into developing it. This involved “testing in collaboration with players and governing bodies, from ECB testing in Abu Dhabi to Shield testing here in Australia,” says Orchard.
The finished product is a softer, lighter ball that has been dyed with a pastel pink and sprayed with a clear nitro-cellulose lacquer. The lacquer protects the dye and ensures the ball is a bright pink. It is also more durable than the red ball, meaning it can be used for longer periods of time without fading or losing its visibility. This allows the match to be played in conditions that wouldn’t normally be suitable for a Test, which in turn attracts new audiences and can help keep the game healthy.
