Some sports require a lot of equipment, some are fine with just a few components and there are others that just that one equipment and bobs your uncle. But one thing most of the sports have in common is the round shaped thing that keeps the game rolling, it is in layman’s term universally called a ‘ball. Without the ball a lot of sports will just not be able to crack on as it happens to be an indispensable fulcrum without which loads of sports cannot make do. So, if you have ever wondered how these balls in different shapes have come into existence, you may want to give this article a little read to help satiate your curiosity.
Leather ball in Cricket
• History of cricket ball and the first cricket ball
Cricket originated in South-East England and later became a national sport of the UK and today it is the second most viewed sport in Britain after football. A cricket ball used in international matches is one of the basic requirements of the sport. The red leather ball came into existence first predating the white and pink cricket ball. The red cork ball which is a conventional cricket ball primarily used in test cricket.
While it is hard to ascertain who first invented a cricket ball to call dibs on, what we do know is that the balls used in the 18th century are very identical to the balls used today. Duke and sons are believed to have received the first royal patent on manufacturing the cricket balls. In 1775, they had procured the royal patent form King George IV and in 1780, their six-seam ball was used for the first time. Duke balls had a stronghold with its usage to large swathes of the world until WWII broke out and Australia started using Kookaburra and the Australian brand which produces quality cricket bats and balls fetched more contracts and phased out the use of Duke balls. Kookaburra balls are still used in Australia for red ball cricket.
New colour - Introduction of White ball
In 1977, a revolutionary change by the advent of white ball was introduced by the Australian Tycoon, Kerry Packer during his World Series cricket. The Australian business magnate believed that the sport needed a few reforms and with the introduction of white ball came the change in the cricket attire that led to colours in a cricket jersey.
With white balls the sport now can be played late in the day at dusk under floodlights as the red ball is impossible to spot at night.
In contrast to its red ball counterpart which offers more swing and durability, the white ball is seen to soon erode with its quality as by design it is fit for the shorter format.
The Game changer – Pink ball
As the game continues to evolve and improvise, test cricket is now made possible to be played at night in this day and age with the help of a pink ball. In 2009, the MCC decided to fiddle with the idea of an orange and a pink ball for making day night test matches a reality, the pink ball was seen as a better ball to go with. The pink ball is a real game changer as this adds a new dimension to test cricket and does the trick which was not even imaginable. Pink balls are easier to see at night and provide the bowler with more bounce. The pink ball’s seam is more noticeable as it is made of synthetic and linen which tackles and fares well against due which is an enemy of the bowlers and helps in gaining a better grip. It is also noted that with bounce, the pink ball also gives the advantage of 20% more movement than its red ball counterpart.
Structure
The heart of any cricket ball regardless of their colour lies at its cork, equipping it with weight and bounce. Cork ball manufacturers make them from the cork core of the cork wood plant bonded into a round-shape ball. The cork that is shrouded in a leather casing with a barely raised, sewn seam that provides the desired grip to keep the ball.
Dimension and Weight
The ball’s shape, dimension, construction, weight, and width are determined by the British standards 5993.
The first cricket principle in 1744 which finalises the weight of the ball that should be around 141 grams to 160 grams. Years later in 1770, the weight of the ball was reduced to 156-163 grams. The circumference is around 8.8125 to 9 inches (224 to 229 mm), at the moment these are the dimensions of a cricket ball that the ICC sticks with.
Manufacturers of the cricket ball
Kookaburra, Duke and SG lord over any other cricket ball manufacturer. The three manufacturers boast to be the brands that are used in international matches. Kookburras are widely used in Australia since 1946, holding a legacy of 125 years of manufacturing cricket balls. Duke balls are primarily used in England and the West Indies as the two locations suit the ball better. Duke balls are predominantly used in England as the lacquer of the ball along with the overcast conditions in the UK help swing the ball alarmingly. SG balls are manufactured in India, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh by Sanspareil Greenlands, being a sports equipment company, it is not limited to making cricket balls that are used in India but also cricket gloves and pads too. SG balls inception dates to 1994 and since then has been part of the cricket played in India, SG is a famous brand in India.
Football
History of a football
Football, a sport that is undeniably the most influential and competitive sport in the world that controls the market too. Without a ball to kick there is no football which has a deep history that predates many things.
Primitive football has a history of 3,000 years where the traces can be found in China, Egypt, Italy, and South America where people were playing with a spherical shaped ball made out of human heads, stitched cloth, animal bladder and skull.
Then the game was modernised and civilised by Charles Goodyear, the famous tyre company ‘Goodyear Tyers’ is named after him. Charles Goodyear gained proprietorship over vulcanised rubber in 1836 made the first rubber football and since the use of pork and cow leather has been ended and rubber footballs are used to this day.
Dimension, Size and Weight
The FIFA Law 2 ‘The Ball’ determines the international standard for football weight and size, in grams or ounces and centimetres and inches. The rules mandate on the qualities and measurements of FIFA outdoor footballs are as follows:
• Be spherical in shape and made of synthetic leather (or another suitable material).
• Have a circumference measuring not less than 68 cm (27 inches) and not more than 70 cm (28 inches) with a diameter of 22 cm (8.65 inches).
• Weigh not less than 410 grams (14 ounces) and be no heavier than 450 grams (16 ounces) at the beginning of the game.
• Have an internal pressure equal to 0.6 - 1.1 atmosphere (600 - 1,100 grams/cm2) at sea level (8.5 - 15.6 pounds per square inch).
Adidas Official Ball Match
Adidas Brazuca Football
Adidas that gets the ball rolling in football matches is responsible for all the premier footballs used in international football matches make FIFA World Cups too. They recorded a selling of 13 million soccer balls which was the official ball used in the 2010 World Cup. They made a killing again four years later with the Brazuca ball.
The official World Cup ‘Brazuca Ball’ cost around a hundred pounds however the labours earned peanuts with 65 pounds a month. It also became the official match ball for the 2014 Football World Cup staged in Brazil. The Brazuca ball got elected by the public by more than one million football fans in the host country. Even so, it was manufactured and supplied by Forward Sports located in Sialkot, Pakistan.
Adidas Telstar 18
The 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted in Russia used the Adidas Telstar 18 as the official match ball. It is a black and white patterned ball.
The Telstar 18 has retro elegance to it as it is likened and resembled to the original Telstar communications satellite which was also in black and white patches which was used back then to make the better the ball’s visibility on a black and white TV.
The original Telstar ball had 32 panels. But, the Adidas Telstar 18 has six textured panels. Unlike earlier balls, the Telstar 18 is not stitched. Instead, the panels are 'seamlessly' glued together by the ball manufacturers in China and in Pakistan.
Adidas AL RIHLA PRO BALL
The Al Rihla ball is the official 2022 FIFA World Cup match ball hosted in Qatar. It costs around 165 dollars. It is the 14th successive ball adidas has created for the FIFA WORLD CUP and is designed to support the highest game speeds as it travels faster in flight than any other World Cup ball.
Designed from the inside out using data from rigorous testing in adidas labs, wind tunnels, and on-pitch, Al Rihla provides the highest level of accuracy and reliability on the field of play, due in part to its new panel shape and surface textures. Al Rihla translates as “the journey” in Arabic and has been inspired by the architecture, iconic boats, and the flag of Qatar. The launch will mark the start of Al Rihla's journey to 10 cities across the globe where adidas is creating a series of initiatives aimed at improving access and equity in sport amongst local communities.
BASKETBALL BALL
Bastketball is another sport that moves at an exponential pace where your lungs need to have so much gas that it never runs out of for the entirety of the game. We usually see lanky athletes in the sport however, shorter balls whose heights were below six feet have debunked the theory and made a good fist of themselves. Baseketball’s founder J.Naismith as the sport is believed to have been born in 1981 after the need to have a sport practiced in the winter, in the beginning the first ball used was a soccer ball.
The first basketball comes after Naismith’s request to Albert Goodwill Spalding to make (the founder of famous Spalding company that manufactures basketball for NBA to this day) who created it at the end of the 19th century.
Characteristics of a basketball
Size 7 basketball measure 29.5” in circumference and have a standard weight of 22 oz. Size 7 basketballs are the standard ball size for most men’s professional basketball associations, as well as men’s college and high school basketball leagues.
SIZE 6
Size 6 basketballs measure 28.5” and have a standard weight of 20 oz. Logically, size 6 balls are slightly smaller than size 7 basketballs, making them ideal for players with smaller hand spans. Size 6 balls are the official ball size for most women’s professional basketball associations, such as the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3x3, in addition to women’s college and high school basketball leagues, and in youth leagues for players 12 and up.
SIZE 5
For players aged 8-11, size 5 basketballs are the ideal size for play. With a circumference measuring 27.5”-27.75” and a standard weight of 14-16 oz, this is the most popular basketball size for youth leagues. Click here to shop Wilson's selection of Youth Basketballs.
SIZE 4
With a circumference of 25.5” and a weight of only 14 oz, these child-friendly basketballs are ideal 0for children ages 4-8.
SIZE 3
These 22 basketballs typically weigh about 10 oz, and are ideal for the youngest of players and the young at heart.
The NBA and WNBA
• NBA: 29.5 inches in circumference; inflated between 7.5-8.5 pounds per square inch
• WNBA: Maximum circumference of 29 inches; inflated between 7.5-8.5 pounds per square inch
The NCAA
• NCAA Men's Basketballs: Maximum circumference of 30 inches; seams must be no wider than 1/4 inch; weight of approximately 22 ounces
• NCAA Women's Basketballs: Maximum circumference of 29 inches; maximum weight of 20 ounces; seams no wider than 1/4 inch
FIBA
• Men's international: Circumference of 78 centimeters (30.7 inches); referred to as a size 7
• Women's international: Circumference of 74 centimeters (29 inches); referred to as size 6
When dropped on the playing floor from a height of 1,800 millimeters (6 feet) the ball should bounce to a height between 1,200 millimeters and 1,400 millimeters (47 to 55 inches), measured to the top of the ball.
Top manufacturers of basketballs
Spalding – Spalding leads the way with its history as the most trusted company to produce the best basketballs found in the hands of NBA basketballers while dribbling, shooting and dunking. It has been an official provider of basketballs for the NBA and the other leagues related to in the USA since 1983. It is an American company.
Molten – MOLTEN, one of the world's leading manufacturers of competition quality sports balls, has been a global sponsor of FIBA for over three decades. Since 1982, Molten's top quality leather basketball has served as the official game ball for all FIBA World Championships and Olympic Games. First Molten sports ball manufactured was in April 1959. Manufacture of automotive rubber parts commenced June 1960. Basketball approved by Japan Basketball Association in July1960. It is a Japanese company whose basketballs has been the official basketball for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Athens (2004), Beijing (2008), London (2012) and Rio (2016).
Wilson - Wilson is the official provider of basketballs for various postseason tournaments of the NCAA. It is an American company. Wilson became the official game ball supplier of the newly-formed Basketball Association of America (BAA; the forerunner league of what would eventually become today's NBA) in 1946, this partnership would last 37 years.
