Kookaburra Unveil New 'Turf20' Ball For T20 Leagues And International Cricket

Premeir ball manufacturers Kookaburra on Sunday unveiled a new ball, specially introduced for T20 leagues around the world and international cricket. Kookaburra hopes their introduction of the ball to world cricket will be put into use in T20 leagues and international cricket before the 2020 ICC World Twenty20 slated to get underway from October 18 in Australia. The new 'Turf20' ball, which has been crafted to better withstand the powerful hitting in the game's shortest format and was used in a blind test in the Northern Territory Strike competition last weekend, according to reports. "As Twenty20 cricket evolved, Kookaburra thought there should be a way to create a ball specific to its needs rather than follow the traditional method of ball-making that is used in Test cricket," Kookaburra spokesman Shannon Gill was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. 

However, Kookaburra will reportedly continue testing the ball over the next 18 months before offering it to cricket boards by late 2020. Gill further explained about the ball and said: "A Test ball is designed to gradually deteriorate over 80 overs, this is an integral element to Test cricket. Twenty20 cricket has evolved quite differently; the ball is only needed for 20 overs and the action is more intense and explosive than Test cricket.

"This means gradual deterioration is not as big a factor, instead a ball that meets the demands of the power hitting game has been created," the spokesman added.

The Kookaburra cricket balls have been manufactured by Kookaburra for over 125 years. Kookaburra balls were first used at an international level when the Australian Board of Control International Cricket (now Cricket Australia) selected the Kookaburra Turf Ball to be used by Don Bradman’s Australian Test team when they played England in the 1946/47 Ashes Test Series.

The Kookaburra Turf Ball is used in the majority of Test Matches, all One Day Internationals and all T20 International matches around the world. In the southern hemisphere it is also used in the majority of First Class cricket competitions. 

According to the manufacturers, the centre of the Turf ball is made of cork, with five layers of natural cork and worsted yarn built onto the cork nucleus and finished with a generous layer of worsted winding. The cover of the cricket ball is cut from selected alum tanned steer hide into four sections. 
 

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