Cricket ball

A cricket ball is hard and heavy.

It has a core made of cork. String is wrapped around the cork. Then, a leather cover is stitched on. The ball has a raised seam. This seam helps players grip it.

Most balls are red. White balls are used at night. Pink balls are also used for night games. Players hit the ball with a bat. This helps them score runs.

It is an exciting game to watch.

A cricket ball is hard and heavy.

It is made in a special way. A core of cork is wrapped in tight string. Then, a leather cover is stitched on. The ball has a raised seam. This seam is made of six rows of stitches.

This seam helps bowlers grip the ball. It also helps the ball move in the air. This is called swing bowling. It can also move off the ground. This is called seam bowling.

Most cricket balls are red. Red balls are used in long games called Test matches. Some games use white balls. White balls are easy to see under bright lights.

Pink balls are also used for night games. Pink balls are easy to see against white clothes. They also last longer than white balls.

As a match goes on, the ball gets dirty. Players may polish one side of the ball. They often rub it on their trousers. This helps the ball move through the air. Players must follow strict rules about the ball. They cannot change it in illegal ways.

A cricket ball is a hard and solid object used in the game of cricket.

It is much heavier and harder than a baseball. The ball is very important for the players in the match. A batter tries to hit the ball with a bat to score runs. The ball can move through the air or off the ground. This movement can be caused by the bowler or the condition of the ball.

Keeping the ball in the right condition is a key job for the fielding side.

Making a cricket ball is a very careful process. It starts with a core made of cork. This core is wrapped in tightly wound string. Then, a leather cover is stitched onto the core.

High-quality balls use four pieces of leather shaped like an orange peel. One half of the leather is rotated by 90 degrees. The equator of the ball has a raised seam with six rows of stitches. Some brands like Dukes use hand stitching for these seams. Other brands like Kookaburra use machines for the outer seams to help bowlers grip the ball.

Different colors of balls are used for different types of cricket. Red balls are the tradition for Test matches. These are long games that can last for several days. White balls are used in one-day matches. They are easier to see under bright floodlights at night.

Pink balls were made in the 2000s for day-night Test matches. They show up well against white clothes and last longer than white balls.

Some people even tried yellow or orange balls to help with visibility.

There are three main makers of international cricket balls. They are Dukes, SG, and Kookaburra. The brand used often depends on where the match is played. For example, India uses SG balls. England, Ireland, and the West Indies use Dukes balls. Most other countries use Kookaburra balls.

These balls can behave in different ways during a game. A Dukes ball has a proud seam that can help it swing more. This can give a home advantage to teams who know the ball well.

As a game continues, the ball changes. Its surface can become rough or dirty.

Bowlers sometimes polish one side of the ball on their trousers. This can help the ball swing through the air. There are very strict rules about how players treat the ball. They are not allowed to change the ball in illegal ways. This is called ball tampering and it can cause big arguments. Because the ball is hard, it can cause injuries. This is why players use protective equipment when they play.

A cricket ball is a hard, solid sphere used as the central object in the sport of cricket.

It is significantly heavier and harder than a baseball. The ball is essential because the batter scores runs by hitting it with a bat. The ball's movement is a key part of the game. A bowler can make the ball deviate from a straight path. This movement happens through the air, which is called swinging. It can also happen off the ground, which is known as seaming. Spin bowlers use lateral revolutions to make the ball deviate significantly when it bounces.

Manufacturing a high-quality cricket ball requires precise construction. It begins with a core made of cork. This core is then layered with tightly wound string. A leather case is stitched over this core to create the outer shell. In top-quality balls, the leather covering consists of four pieces. These pieces are shaped similarly to the peel of a quartered orange. One hemisphere is rotated by 90 degrees relative to the other. The "equator" of the ball features a prominent, raised seam created by six rows of stitches.

Different manufacturers use different stitching methods for their seams. International brands include Dukes, SG, and Kookaburra. Dukes and SG balls are hand-stitched with three seams on each half. In contrast, Kookaburra balls use machines for the outer four seams. These machine-made seams exist primarily to provide extra grip for a bowler's fingers. The inner two seams on a Kookaburra ball hold the two leather halves together. Other joins are stitched internally to form what is called a quarter seam. Lower-quality balls often use a simpler two-piece leather covering to reduce costs.

Colors are chosen based on the specific format of the match. The traditional red ball is used in Test cricket. These professional matches are played over several days. White balls are used in most one-day matches. They remain visible under floodlights during night games.

Red balls can look brownish under yellow lights, making them hard to see against the pitch. Pink balls were developed in the 2000s for day-night Test matches. They provide better visibility than red balls at night. They also do not clash with the traditional white clothing worn by players. Pink balls deteriorate more slowly than white balls.

Specific rules govern how many balls are used in a match. In Test cricket, a single ball is used for a minimum of 80 overs. This represents about five hours and twenty minutes of play. After 80 overs, the bowling captain may choose to use a new ball. In professional one-day cricket, at least four new balls are used per match. This includes two new balls per innings, with one coming from each bowling end. T20 cricket uses two new balls, one for each innings. Using the correct number of balls helps manage visibility and wear.

As a match progresses, the physical condition of the ball changes. The surface wears down and becomes rough over time. Bowlers often polish one side of the ball using their trousers. This creates a red stain and helps the ball swing through the air. However, players must follow strict laws regarding ball maintenance. They are prohibited from altering the ball in unauthorized ways. This illegal practice is known as ball tampering and causes many controversies. The use of saliva to polish the ball was banned permanently in March 2022.

Because the ball is so hard, it poses physical risks to players. It can cause serious injuries or even fatalities during a match. These hazards were a primary reason for the introduction of protective equipment. The ball's behavior also changes based on the manufacturer. For example, the hand-stitched Dukes ball has a "prouder" seam. This allows it to swing more than a Kookaburra ball. This difference can provide a home advantage to teams familiar with the specific ball. The interplay between the ball, the pitch, and the bowler makes cricket a complex game of physics.