Dark Dukes swapped for local Kookaburra ball

CRICKET Australia has ditched the English Dukes balls and will stick with the Australian-made Kookaburra for the coming Sheffield Shield season.

The darker Dukes ball, more prone to swinging, had been used in the domestic competition since 2016 in a bid to prepare Aussie batsmen for going to England.

It was used in the second half of each Shield season, producing mixed results.

But after the Aussies successfully retained the Ashes in England last year, CA has decided to end the experiment.

Feedback from players, including criticism that it took too long to deteriorate and favoured bowlers too much, contributed to the decision.

Former Test batsman and Queensland captain Usman Khawaja said the move was “good news for spinners”.

Peter Roach, CA head of cricket operations, said reverting to the traditional Kookaburra ball was the right move for Australian cricket at this time.

“The introduction of the Dukes ball has been a worthwhile exercise, particularly in the lead up to overseas Ashes series where the Dukes is used so well by our English opponents,” Roach said.

“We have been happy with how the ball has performed when used in Australian conditions over the past four seasons.

“We do, however, feel that reverting to one ball for 2020-21 will provide the consistent examination of our players over a full season that CA and the States are presently seeking. The Kookaburra is the ball used for international cricket in Australia and many parts of the world and we see benefits this season of maximising our use of it.”