MySPOGA Cricket Equipment manual

How to buy Cricket Balls

Introuction Be it batting, bowling or fielding, the cricket ball is always in the limelight. The key
to be good at playing cricket is to always keep an eye on the ball. Cricket is a game which is loved
and played by people of various age groups. Thus, cricket balls are available in a wide range. Let us
have a look at the following categories which will help in purchasing the cricket ball.
Con!i"uration Dont let the modest sie of the cricket ball fool you. !t may look very simple but
it has a lot of components. !t is made up of the core, leather layer and the seam. "verything is then
stitched together and polished.
The core of the cricket ball comprises of wrapped cork strips and tightly wound string. !t has
around five layers of the above mentioned elements, which combine to provide good bounce
and shape.
The outer layer of the cricket ball is made of dyed leather. !t generally has two or four pieces
which are then assembled together. Test match #uality cricket balls make use of four piece
outer construction. The pieces merge into two hemispheres which are then united by the
seam. The seam is rotated ninety degrees to ensure that the ball doesnt lose its shape.
The seam makes use of si$ lines of stitching, which holds the two hemispheres together. The
stitching around the seam has a huge impact on the game. The bowler uses the seam to
generate movement after pitching the ball. The thickness and the number of stitches on the
ball vary.
%fter assembling, the balls are polished so that they get their familiar shine. The entire
process is carried out with the help of machines or craftsmen work on it with their skilled
hands.
#imensions The laws of the game have strict guidelines pertaining to the dimensions of the
cricket ball. They are specified according to men, women and &unior cricket.
'en(s cricket ) The ball shall not weigh not less than * ounces+,**.- g, not more than *
ounces+,./ g. they shall measure not less than 0,/+,. in+11.2 cm, not more than - in+11.-
cm in circumference. $Pls c%k t%e measurements a"ain since it souns &ery con!usin"'
3omen(s cricket ) The weight should be in the range of 2,*+,. ounces+,24 g to **+,.
ounces ,*,g. The circumference should be from from 0 in+1,.4 cm to 05+0 in+11.* cm
6unior cricket 78nder ,/9 ) the prescribed range for the weight of the cricket ball used in
&unior cricket is between 2,,+,. ounces+,//g to *,+,. ounces ,22g and for the
circumference it(s between 0,+,. in+14.* cm to 0,,+,. in+11.4cm.
Traditionally, red colour cricket balls were used: but with the advent of day and night
cricket, white colour balls are being used now. %lternatively, pink coloured balls are being
tried out in certain countries.
Customised training balls are available but they are only used for training purposes.
Be!ore an A!ter ( Certain things need to be kept in mind before and after purchasing any cricket
balls.
Before ) Determine e$actly for which category and for which level do you need to purchase
the ball. 'anage your budget, as going for cheap #uality balls may lead to damage of cricket
bats.
%fter ) Clean the e$cess dirt on the surface with a cloth and use a water resistant leather
conditioner to polish it. ;tore it in a non humid, temperature controlled environment.