As if we needed more proof that CA are utterly clueless

'We won't exist': Kookaburra bemoans cricket ball change proposal

October 24, 2012 - 10:39AM
Jared Lynch and Chloe Saltau

MORE than a century of cricket history in Australia could vanish under a plan to introduce imported balls in domestic matches, a leading sports goods manufacturer believes.

In its bid to wrestle back the Ashes, Cricket Australia is hoping to deprive England of a competitive advantage by replacing Melbourne-made Kookaburra balls with the Dukes ball in some matches.

Kookaburra director Rob Elliot warned of dire consequences if the company’s support, from the Sheffield Shield to grassroots, collapsed.

"If we are not supported by cricket in Australia then Kookaburra won’t exist basically. If Cricket Australia and if cricket’s not supporting Kookaburra and wants to go down the imported path, then the manufacturing of cricket balls will go to the subcontinent and it will be the end of Kookaburra as we know it."

The Dukes cricket ball is used in Tests in England and behaves differently to the Australian-made variety.

Elliot said he understood why Cricket Australia was introducing the Dukes ball in preparation for Tests against England, but questioned CA’s decision to trial the UK ball in under-age championships and some second XI matches this summer, with a longer-term view to introduce the Dukes in Sheffield Shield games.

"I see that as counterproductive," Mr Elliot said.

"I thought it would be appropriate for us to be using the only Australian made ball as opposed to a ball that’s made in the sub-continent in Pakistan or India. That’s the thing that concerns me is that all of a sudden this sort of thing erodes Australian manufacturing and Australian jobs."

Although the Kookaburra is the official ball supplier to the main cricket-playing nations other than India and England, Mr Elliot said the lion’s share of their sales was in Australia, where the company was founded 122 years ago.

CA senior cricket operations manager Sean Cary acknowledged there was an economic rationale for introducing a competitor to the Australian market — the Dukes are cheaper — and it was CA’s job to minimise the costs of playing the game.

But Elliot was not convinced.

"We live in a competitive world and that’s fine. We can accept the competition, proving the motivations are correct, which is let’s get the best ball for the game.

"If price is the issue, that’s the price you pay for quality. Anything can be cheaper."



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/we-wont-exist-kookaburra-bemoans-cricket-ball-change-proposal-20121024-284fw.html#ixzz2AAzBr67j

I blame the Vulture and the Goose.

It's a shit ball, anyway.

Throw off the Poms by introducing the Pom's own cricket ball?

Entirely logical...

The Hazard of Dukes ...

Gotta be better than the shitheap Kooka... I mean, yeah, you were all like 'WE can take wickets past 20 overs' but then, you had Warnenmcgrath. But it doesn't give any normal humans a great chance. The Dukes at least keeps everyone in it - it's hard enough to still be able to smite it, but'll keep the bowlers interested as well.

The Kookaburra is a great ball, both for bowlers and batsmen, in Australian conditons.

lardbucket wrote:The Kookaburra is a great ball, both for bowlers and batsmen, in Australian conditons.

Yep, used here as well. Not a bad ball.

used everywhere but india (sg) and england (dukes)

Mind you ofc the head of Kooka is going to complain about it, its his livelihood at stake innit?

Now CA are trying to suck up to kookaburra...

Day-night Test cricket on its way after ICC approval

October 30, 2012 - 5:29PM

Night Test cricket might be played in Australia as early as the Ashes summer of 2013-14 if a suitable ball can be developed in time.

An International Cricket Council (ICC) decision on Monday night cleared the way for day-night Test matches, provided the participating countries agree on the time of play and type of ball.

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland welcomed the decision, saying night Test matches would allow more people to watch at the ground and on television.

‘‘It’s probably only a matter of time before Test cricket is at least trialled at night,’’ Sutherland said.

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‘‘We’re very much in favour of it because we think it provides a great opportunity for fans to see more Test cricket.’’

Sutherland said CA’s experience from Test matches in Perth, which are effectively day-night matches for television audiences in the eastern states, given the time difference, illustrated the point.

He said television ratings were about 40 per cent higher for those matches than Test matches played in earlier timeslots during non-holiday periods.

The big remaining stumbling block to night Test matches is developing a ball that is easily visible at night yet is as durable as the traditional red ball used for five-day games.

Sutherland said while it was impossible to predict when such a ball would be available, there were some promising signs.

‘‘I don’t think that’s too far away at all,’’ he said.‘‘We’re very interested in working closely with various ball manufacturers.

‘‘They know more about it than any of us.

‘‘There’s been some really good positive progress and some good testing done in other parts of the world.’’

A CA spokesman said while the schedule for this home season was already locked in, if a ball was developed in time, it was possible night Test cricket could be played the following summer, when England play five Tests in Australia.

With CA’s television rights deal expiring in March, that prospect could add to their bargaining power for the next contract, although CA refused to comment on that aspect given negotiations are underway.

AAP



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/daynight-test-cricket-on-its-way-after-icc-approval-20121030-28hfq.html#ixzz2AlJ2xxj3

Wonder if India will be as stubborn re. this as the DRS.

F*ck India. If they want the cricket world to move on as they remain stagnant, then that's their choice. Although frankly, I see no reason why India wont embrace day-night tests.

Dew.

What a nasty thing to call Trev.

Do other ball producers apart from Kookaburra make pink or orange balls?