We talk here about the comparison Kookaburra vs Duke Cricket Balls. In Cricket, there has been an age-old debate for which cricket ball is better, the Kookaburra Cricket Ball, or the Duke Cricket Ball. Both balls are used for International Test matches.
Test Matches played in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe use the Kookaburra ball. While Test Matches played in England and the West Indies use the Duke cricket ball. There is a third brand of cricket ball being used for Test matches, and that is the SG cricket ball being used in India. So, here we bring you Kookaburra vs Duke Cricket Balls.
Features: Kookaburra vs Duke Cricket Balls
Well, starting with, the Kookaburra cricket ball is manufactured in Australia, and the Duke cricket ball is made in England. The significant difference between the Kookaburra and the Duke cricket ball will be in the stitching process. Both balls have six rows of stitches around the central seam of the ball. It has all to do with how prominent the seam will be and what position the seam will be.
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However, while Duke is hand-stitched in all six rows, Kookaburra only hands-stitches two rows (inner seam); the four outer rows are stitched with machines. That is why the Kookaburra’s seam is said to flatten faster than that of the Duke balls. The Kookaburra Ball has a low seam in comparison with the Duke. The Duke has a more prominent and prouder seam. The Kookaburra will stay at optimum swing and seaming position for 20 overs.
At that point, the ball will become easier to grip for the spinners but also more comfortable for batsmen to play their shots. The ball stays firm for up to 80 overs. The Duke’s seam will remain prominent for closer to 50 overs. This means that the Duke will be more difficult than the Kookaburra to grip for the spinners and offer the best seaming and swings for seamers and pace bowlers.
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Dukes is ideal for seam and swing bowlers operating in English conditions. The wickets in England are slower compared to Australia or South Africa, so medium-pacers tend to be more productive with it than express pacers who enjoy bowling with the Kookaburra. With the Kookaburra, as the ball gets older, the seam submerges into the leather, reducing the size of the ball, which then aids the fast bowlers.
Line and length bowlers do well with the Dukes because the ball will do a lot in the air, but with the Kookaburra, the seam is embedded in the surface, which ceases to move quite as much. Considering the reverse swing factor too, Reverse swing has a lot to do with the condition of the pitch. A more abrasive pitch, like one in the sub-continent, will rough a ball up quicker and, hence, reverse swinging better.
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The English proved in 2005, Simon Jones, in particular, that it is possible to get the Duke ball to reverse swing reasonably early. The Kookaburra will do likewise. Both the Kookaburra and the Duke are superb and durable cricket balls, it is hard to say which is better, but Kookaburra Cricket Balls has the lion’s share of the market.

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