Duke or Kookaburra

[caveman72]

Is it time for Test Cricket to step into the modern day and have one Official ball for all Tests.
You often hear the commentary team talk about batsmen and bowlers having to adjust to the different balls in different Countries.
Should ODI and 20/20 follow the same path even if each format uses a different brand of ball.

 

[icyflakes]

If the ICC were going to pick an official ball, it'll be whatever Indian company paid the most.

I've been thinking about this with the snicko/ultraedge stuff. While I want a consistent, fair format, I don't trust the ICC to not be corrupted by the Indian market.

They may start with a fair product, but they won't stick with a fair product.

 

[caveman72]

If the ICC were going to pick an official ball, it'll be whatever Indian company paid the most.

I've been thinking about this with the snicko/ultraedge stuff. While I want a consistent, fair format, I don't trust the ICC to not be corrupted by the Indian market.

They may start with a fair product, but they won't stick with a fair product.

Yeah they have the cash to do that with snicko/ultraedge anything that can make the game fairer is good for the game

 

[SparklingAle69]

How different are the two? I've heard the Kookaburra is harder.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

How different are the two? I've heard the Kookaburra is harder.

They’re quite different, and contrary to this thread, there are actually 3 brands used in international matches.

The duke is harder earlier in my experience, has a much ‘prouder seam’ and thicker lacquer. I haven’t played with the new kookaburra though.

 

[toml]

They’re quite different, and contrary to this thread, there are actually 3 brands used in international matches.

The duke is harder earlier in my experience, has a much ‘prouder seam’ and thicker lacquer. I haven’t played with the new kookaburra though.

Also 2 different types of dukes ball. The dukes ball that is used for Windies home matches isn't the same model as is used in England.

 

[The hands of stone]

They’re quite different, and contrary to this thread, there are actually 3 brands used in international matches.

The duke is harder earlier in my experience, has a much ‘prouder seam’ and thicker lacquer. I haven’t played with the new kookaburra though.

The new Kookas are more similar to the UK Dukes imo .
Stay harder a lot longer though would be the major difference

Probably my eyesight back in the day but felt the Dukes were a darker red

 

[Around the Wicket]

Main reason batsmen are struggling, big bats and flat pitches were almost ruining Test cricket so they brought bowlers back into the game

 

[PhatBoy]

no they don’t need to make it one ball.

If they want to start doing that they may as well use synthetic pitches or make every batsman use the same brand bat or weight of bat etc.

 

[Gethelred]

I've been told this by other people so I could be wrong, but whenever they bring the Dukes to Australia the ball loses its lacquer very, very quickly. Our pitches are harder on the leather and the ball softens too quickly, where the kookaburra holds its hardness even if it doesn't its shine.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

The new Kookas are more similar to the UK Dukes imo .
Stay harder a lot longer though would be the major difference

Probably my eyesight back in the day but felt the Dukes were a darker red

Yeah, I feel like they were a darker red too, particularly the top grade ones. They also felt smaller in the hand.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Don’t think it’s a big enough issue to be changed. Yes there are differences but it’s not like either ball is unsafe or unfair.

It’s just part of playing away matches, you need to deal with it.

 

[Xtreme]

 

[Jack Mundy]

Is it time for Test Cricket to step into the modern day and have one Official ball for all Tests.
You often hear the commentary team talk about batsmen and bowlers having to adjust to the different balls in different Countries.
Should ODI and 20/20 follow the same path even if each format uses a different brand of ball.

Last time I checked all white ball international cricket uses Kookaburra.
Answer is no. Kookaburra is trialled in England and ball does less there due to the softer wickets. Led to lots of runs and fewer wickets. Generally Kookaburra is thought to swing less although Dukes have a recent issue with softening.
A single ball manufacturer would probably kill off the rest particularly if it's Kookaburra. Dukes is smaller time operation. Would limit options should issues with balls occur. For this reason English cricket have contract with Gunn & Moore for county second xi cricket. Pakistan use acelin and greys at lower levels.