British Cricket Balls Ltd

A Dukes cricket ball

British Cricket Balls Ltd is a British sports equipment company, specialising in cricket equipment. The company notably manufactures the Dukes brand[1] of cricket ball used by the England cricket team in UK Test cricket, and which traces its origins to 1760.[2] The Dukes ball is also used by the West Indies cricket team in their home Test matches.

Origins

The Duke family began manufacturing cricket balls as a cottage industry at Redleaf Hill, Penshurst, Kent, England, around 1760 and continuing until 1841.[3] Having gained the Royal patent for their cricket balls in 1775,[3] Duke & Son made the first-ever six-seam cricket ball, which was presented to the then Prince of Wales and used for the 1780 English cricket season.[4] In 1851, their triple-sewn ball won a prize medal at the Great Exhibition.[5] And in 1881, another Dukes ball won a gold medal at the Melbourne International Exhibition.[2]

In 1920, Duke & Son merged with John Wisden & Co,[6] a manufacturer of cricket bats.[7]

In 1999, the company introduced the controversial white ball for that year's Cricket World Cup.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ BBC News. "Red or white? Cheers for cricket's swingers." Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 Williams, Marcus and Gordon Phillips. The Wisden Book of Cricket Memorabilia, p. 238. Lennard, 1990 Google Books. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 "'Platypus Gem' Cricket ball and core, 2000: Statement of significance" Powerhouse Museum. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "From Lads to Lord's: The History of Cricket: 1300 – 1787" Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  5. ↑ The Cricketing Heritage of Calderdale & Kirklees: "III. Facilities & Equipment", p. 4. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Wisden Timeline" Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (Wisden). Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  7. ↑ Financial Times. "Words on the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack." Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  8. ↑ The Independent. "The swinging duke is not all it seems." Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  9. ↑ The Guardian. "Why white is the thing for the swing?" Retrieved 23 November 2013.
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