Kookaburra Sport
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Industry | Sporting goods (cricket, field hockey) |
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Founded | 1890 |
Founder | Alfred Grace Thompson |
Headquarters | Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia |
Area served | Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, India |
Products | Sporting Equipment |
Website | www.kookaburra.biz |
Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company, specialising in cricket and field hockey equipment, named after the Australian kingfisher. The company notably manufactures the most widely used brand of ball used in One-day internationals and Test cricket.
Introduction
The company was founded in 1890 as A.G. Thompson Pty Ltd by Alfred Grace Thompson, a migrant harness and saddle maker who turned to manufacturing cricket balls when his livelihood was threatened by the advent of the motor car. In the mid-1980s, the company diversified into manufacturing the full range of cricket bats, clothing, footwear and protective equipment.
Kookaburra today
In addition to its Australian operations, Kookaburra has offices in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh and India.
Kookaburra's Turf Cricket Ball has been used exclusively in Australia, New Zealand and South African Test Cricket since 1946.
The company sponsors a junior cricket tournament called the Kookaburra Cup. It also has endorsement deals with many players including former Australia Captain Ricky Ponting and Martin Guptill of New Zealand.
Current ranges of equipment are Kahuna, Fever, Obsidian, Ghost, XLR8, Blaze and Surge. Previous ranges include Diablo, Genesis, Sword, Ice, Beast and CCX.
Kookaburra also manufacture hockey sticks and equipment which are used by many top international players such Liam De Young, Charlotte Craddock, Madonna Blyth and Marsha Marescia. Flagship stick models include the Phoenix L-Bow and the Dragon M-Bow stick.
The Kookaburra Dimple Elite hockey ball has been used in all Olympic Games since 1984.
Cricket endorsements
The following cricket players have endorsement deals with Kookaburra:
Australia
Brad Haddin – Kahuna Michael Hussey – Onyx Peter Siddle – Kahuna Nathan Coulter-Nile – Onyx Mitchell Starc – Surge Nathan Lyon – Ghost Glenn Maxwell – Blaze Chris Rogers – Onyx Ashton Agar – Ghost Josh Hazlewood – Ghost Usman Khawaja – Kahuna Nicole Bolton – Onyx Alyssa Healy – Kahuna Peter Handscomb – Surge James Pattinson - Dynasty Alex Carey – Kahuna
England
Jos Buttler – Blaze Liam Dawson – Ghost Lydia Greenway - Ghost Natalie Sciver - Kahuna
New Zealand
Sophie Devine – Ghost Lockie Ferguson – Ghost Martin Guptill – Kahuna Tom Latham – Blaze James Neesham – Dynasty Katie Perkins – Onyx
South Africa
Dean Elgar – Kahuna Chris Morris – Ghost Simon Harmer – Ghost Lungi Ngidi – Kahuna Mangaliso Mosehle Sibonelo Makhanya
Hockey endorsements
The following hockey players have endorsement deals with Kookaburra:
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
England
References
- The white ball wonder, Cricinfo, 20 January 2006.
- Watts, Robert: MCC's silly point, The Daily Telegraph, 4 March 2006.
- Cricket Endorsements: Team Kookaburra, Kookaburra Sport Website
- Hockey Endorsements: Team Kookaburra, Kookaburra Sport Website