Australia Revert To Using Kookaburra Balls Only In Domestic Cricket | Cricket News

Australia on Thursday introduced plans to ditch the English Dukes ball in home cricket and revert to utilizing solely the standard Kookaburra for the subsequent Sheffield Shield season. Cricket Australia launched the Dukes ball in 2016 they usually have been used within the second half of every Shield season to attempt to accustom gamers to circumstances in England, the place Australian batsmen had usually struggled. Dukes balls are inclined to have a extra pronounced seam, enabling them swing additional and for longer when new than the Australian-made Kookaburras. Cricket Australia’s head of operations Peter Roach mentioned reverting to the Kookaburra was the fitting transfer presently.

“The introduction of the Dukes ball has been a worthwhile exercise, particularly in the lead-up to overseas Ashes series where the Dukes is used so well by our English opponents,” he mentioned.

“We have been happy with how the ball has performed when used in Australian conditions over the past four seasons. 

“We do, nevertheless, really feel that reverting to 1 ball for 2020-21 will present the constant examination of our gamers over a full season that (Cricket Australia) and the states are presently in search of,” he added.  

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While England proceed to make use of Dukes, the Kookaburra is used for Tests in lots of different elements of the world and extensively in limited-overs cricket.

Roach mentioned Cricket Australia might think about reintroducing Dukes balls nearer to the subsequent Ashes collection in England, which is because of happen in 2023.