A cricket ball is a hard, solid ball that is used in cricket. A cricket ball is made of a cork core coiled with thread and a leather cover sewn on, and its production is governed by first-class cricket legislation. The trajectory of a cricket ball when delivered is impacted by the bowler’s motion as well as the condition of the ball and the pitch while working on the cricket ball to achieve optimal condition is a major duty of the fielding side. 

It is a crucial component in the game of cricket. There are various types and colors of cricket balls. The overall performance of the various colored balls varies based on how the ball is formed, the material used in the seam, and the type of coating put on the ball’s surface. Let us understand their purposes and differences.

From Which Material is a Cricket Ball Made of?

While robots have undoubtedly made certain portions of the work simpler over the years, the majority of cricket ball makers still handcraft a big portion of their product. 

True, the sphere’s hard shell is coated in toughened leather. However, there are two other major components underlying this. The hard core of the ball is made of cork, which is wrapped in tightly coiled string to form a spherical shape. 

Following that, all of the components are weighted to ensure they meet the standardized requirements for a cricket ball. The four pieces of leather are sewn together to form a raised sea, and the “equator” is stitched using string. 

The leather is then colored, branded with the maker’s name, and polished many times before being distributed to eager seam bowlers all over the world.

Also Read : Proven Tips to Choose The Best Cricket Gloves in 2022

Top 8 Key Differences Between White, Red, and Pink Cricket Balls:

Leather Processing:

The conventional cricket ball-making process begins with leather processing. Purification of leather is followed by dyeing it with a red hue. To guarantee that the ball lasts a long time, high-quality leather is used. The primary distinction between the Pink and Red balls is how the leather is treated and the color is applied.

In the instance of red balls, the color is imparted by dying them red. The dying imparts color to the Red ball. Pink Cricket balls get their color from a pigment that is put on the leather. Pink balls are coated with PU (polyurethane), whereas White balls are coated with a harder-wearing coating to protect them from dirt and scuffs, making them somewhat heavier. Pink balls, on the other hand, are less polished and lighter than white balls.

Visibility:

The red balls are unsuitable for night play since they turn yellowish under floodlights. White balls are far more visible under floodlights. Furthermore, when watching a match on television, the White color ball stands out wonderfully. The most obvious distinction between the Pink and Red balls is their visibility in floodlights.

Pink-colored balls are substantially more visible under floodlights, making them appropriate for night bouts. Red balls turn brownish under floodlights, making them difficult to see, and are hence unsuitable for day-night Test matches. Both white and pink cricket balls are suitable for use at night under floodlights and are thus utilized in Day-Night games.

Usage:

While Red Cricket balls are exclusively used in Test and First-Class matches, White Cricket balls are used in Twenty-20 and One-Day matches. In Test Cricket, both red and pink cricket balls are used.

White and Pink balls have more similarities than differences. Pink cricket balls are used during Day-Night Test matches, whereas white cricket balls are used for Twenty-20 and One-Day matches.

Build Quality:

Red balls outlast white balls. As a result, red cricket balls may be utilized for at least 80 overs. Because white cricket balls decay faster, they are more suited for limited-overs matches. In addition, white balls become filthy or dull considerably faster than red balls. As a result, white balls can occasionally blend in with the throng.

Pink balls are more durable than white balls, and as a result, they may be used for lengthier formats of the game, such as Test Cricket. White balls also grow filthy or dull in color over time, however pink balls retain their color for a longer amount of time.

Seam and Thread Color:

White threads are used for the seam on red cricket balls, whereas black threads are used on pink cricket balls. The seam on the Red ball is entirely constructed of synthetic material, while the seam on the Pink ball is a blend of synthetic and linen in the right proportions.

The seam on the White ball is sharper and entirely synthetic, whereas the seam on the Pink ball is a combination of synthetic and linen. The seam of the pink cricket ball is much more firm and pronounced compared to the red cricket ball, and it helps players in gripping the ball properly. 

Swing and Bounce:

Red cricket balls have a strong swing and bounce till the first 15 overs, but pink cricket balls have a good swing and bounce even after 40 overs. This is due to the PU coating used in the Pink ball, which does not readily peel off, keeping it relatively fresh for a long time. However, because of its smooth surface, the white ball swings well.

The white ball is considered to swing more and move more smoothly than the red ball. The white cricket ball is more durable than the red cricket ball. Pink cricket balls have a higher swing and bounce tendency than white and red cricket balls.

Coating:

White balls are more prone to scuffs and blemishes than Red balls. The harder-wearing coating is added to the White balls to prevent them from becoming soiled rapidly. This coating makes the White balls somewhat tougher than the Red ones. A white cricket ball takes a lot of cleaning and coating. This makes the white ball somewhat heavier than the red and pink balls.

The pink cricket ball, on the other hand, is less polished than the white one and is lighter. The wax coating is used on red balls, but it cannot be used on pink balls since it would make the ball darker and harder to see under floodlights. Pink balls are therefore covered with PU (polyurethane) covering. Polyurethane also guards against corrosion and scuffs.

Dew Effect:

When a toss-winning captain in a cricket match explains why he chose to bowl first, we frequently hear the term “dew factor.” Dew is simply the presence of excessive moisture on the field, which makes it difficult for bowlers to grip and control the ball.

As a result, the side batting second can benefit. The sorts of balls employed in this scenario are critical. Pink balls are easier to handle during dew than red ones. The linen in the Pink ball seam absorbs dew and so aids in greater grip.

Conclusion:

Cricket is a fascinating sport. Even little changes to the rules and regulations have the ability to significantly alter the gameplay. The entire idea of adopting a brilliantly colored ball was to solve the problem of vision in games played after dark. However, as the organization evolves, so does the sport, and so do the precise features of this game-changing into a far more intriguing game structure. 

During games, other colored balls have been used on occasion. Yellow and orange-colored balls were used as an alternative to white balls during night games, but the color was rejected from the game and has not been used since. The pink ball has made its debut and is currently favored over all other balls. Ballers have subsequently learned to employ many sorts of balls to their advantage.