Cricket Equipment – Cricket Balls – How Are They Made?

Have you ever wondered how cricket balls are made? Read on for a comprehensive guide.

Cricket balls are extremely hard and you will know all about that if you’ve ever been hit by one! But what is it that makes them so hard and durable? We have looked into the manufacturing techniques of cricket balls and can now provide you with a guide to the hardest piece of cricket equipment on the pitch!

A cricket ball covering is made up of four pieces of leather which are shaped like a peel of a quartered orange. The pieces of leather are bound together with a sewn seam which is slightly raised. The core of a cricket ball is made from cork with layers of tightly wound string around it. For men's cricket, the ball must weigh between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9 and 163.0 g) and measure between 8 13/16 and 9 in (224 and 229 mm) in circumference. Balls used in women's and junior matches are slightly smaller.

It is traditional to dye cricket balls red and red cricket balls are used in the more traditional tournaments of test matches and first-class cricket matches. The one day internationals use a white ball. The white ball was introduced as an alternative piece of cricket equipment to the red ball when the cricket pitches began to be floodlit in the 1970s. When a cricket tournament was played at night, a white cricket ball became much more visible and the white ball has been found to swing a lot more during the first half of the innings than the red ball.

There are certain rules which must be adhered when using cricket equipment, in particular cricket balls in a match. A newly polished ball will be produced at the start of every innings and a ball must not be replaced unless the following occurs:

• The condition of the ball is illegally modified by a player.
• Unless the captain of the bowling side requests a new ball.
• The cricket ball becomes damaged or lost.

If the ball is hit into the crowd, it is not replaced, the crowd are expected to return the equipment as a new ball can only be used after the specified minimum number of overs have been bowled with the old one.
Cricket balls are known for being so hard that they have the potential to be a lethal piece of cricket equipment. That’s why, if you don’t have the correct protective head equipment, it’s a wise option to pick an alternative ball to use. The most favoured alternative to a cricket ball is a tennis ball, but other materials such as plastic cricket balls have been used and even diamond cricket balls have been known to be used!

Sports HQ is the European division for Confidence Sporting Goods, inc., the famous manufacturer from Palm Springs, California. We sell a huge range of cricket equipment, including cricket balls. Because we sell directly to you, you can expect to save up to 70% on normal retail prices when buying from us. Call us today on 01527 598388 for more information or to place an order.