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Equipment => Other Gear => Topic started by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 08:51:34 PM

Title: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 08:51:34 PM
Not easy without feeling it:-

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K8zHJnUtdUQ/UQpRxa7lbSI/AAAAAAAAIX8/X_rKOHB5F_w/s1021/20130131_110835.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6-G1PgARN2E/UQpR2aPEplI/AAAAAAAAIYI/D5PC15JBnvE/s1021/20130131_110845.jpg)
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 08:57:49 PM
Looks a cheapy one to me. I'll pay £1
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: The_Bird on February 02, 2013, 08:58:16 PM
Not easy without feeling it:-

That's what she said.....
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: wilkie113 on February 02, 2013, 08:59:36 PM
That's what she said.....

BOOM
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: The_Bird on February 02, 2013, 09:01:47 PM
It looks very red and cheap to me as opposed to the darker duke style balls, £6.99
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:02:28 PM
That's what she said.....

lol - I thought it might leave me open to some kind of comment!. Without giving much away I'm assuming you've never bowled in your life ProCricketer1982.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Ryan on February 02, 2013, 09:02:40 PM
BOOM


Haha. Best quote of the year!

I think it looks decent, although I also think its been lacquered a little much. So around £8
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ajm90 on February 02, 2013, 09:04:43 PM
I think it looks alright to be honest, seam looks quite nice on it, nothing garish. Id pay maybe £10-£12 for that.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Buzz on February 02, 2013, 09:05:22 PM
Looks a cheapy one to me. I'll pay £1

I agree, looks like a bat breaker to me.

Is it a tiflex ball? my suspicion is it is not a cheap one, but I wouldn't want to use it.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:06:51 PM
It looks very red and cheap to me as opposed to the darker duke style balls, £6.99

Colour means nothing unless you believe in wives tales. What you should be looking at is discolouration and seam quality.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: The_Bird on February 02, 2013, 09:10:39 PM
I'm a batsmen so i would know very little but all our league balls are much darker than this and about £18 each if bought individually. Ours are Mid range Tiflex, I suspect after doing a little search if its Alum Tanned its £30 plus
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: joeljonno on February 02, 2013, 09:16:37 PM

I've used one. 10 overs of netting and it looked like this ...

(http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag13/joeljonno/IMG-20120812-00507.jpg)

I don't know whether it says more about the ball or how bad at bowling I am?
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 09:17:39 PM
I have bowled thank you, Don't bowl much anymore due to having a bad knee (you may notice the limp on the videos). Anyway, my reasons were as follows:

1) Colour is a horrible colour red that I generally only ever remember seeing on what I'd class as 'bad' balls.
2) The seam directly down the middle of hte ball looks similar to the crap we use for sunday league which after 20 ish overs starts to rise and looks ugly.  The decent balls I've used before don't do this, this looks like it will.
3) Ran out of 'reasons' tbh, I just don't like the ball and think it looks like one people buy cheaply then come and throw down at nets.

I maybe wrong, but your question was 'what would I pay', and to me that looks like a cheap ball so I wouldn't pay much. I maybe wrong as I'm not perfect and don't know everything.


Jesus Heworth, that ball is done for! Which actually raises a question: When do you guys throw away balls?? I personally buy pretty good (or what I think are good ones!) and once they lose their seam and go a bit soft I throw them away.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:19:36 PM
The chap who produces these I have seen go through and reject top end Dukes/Readers balls for discolouration. This ball has no discolouration. The seam is outstanding on this ball and is not only big but also extremely well stitched. It compares well with a top end league ball imho and is a real bowlers ball. The difference between this and the Kooks I brought for £5 from JJB last season is like night and day.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 09:25:14 PM
The chap who produces these I have seen go through and reject top end Dukes/Readers balls for discolouration. This ball has no discolouration. The seam is outstanding on this ball and is not only big but also extremely well stitched. It compares well with a top end league ball imho and is a real bowlers ball. The difference between this and the Kooks I brought for £5 from JJB last season is like night and day.

League balls vary in quality. Our saturday league balls in 2011 were really good, kept their shape, kept a seam and would swing for you all day if you looked after them. Yet the 2012 Saturday league ball was terrible. The sunday league ones were worse still. I don't assume any league ball is going to be any good because at the end of hte day they are brought on the cheap etc. Just my opinion.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: The_Bird on February 02, 2013, 09:29:34 PM
(http://www.prodirectcricket.com/productimages/TechSpecs3/8740.jpg)

How much do you think this one is?
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:30:16 PM
League balls vary in quality. Our saturday league balls in 2011 were really good, kept their shape, kept a seam and would swing for you all day if you looked after them. Yet the 2012 Saturday league ball was terrible. The sunday league ones were worse still. I don't assume any league ball is going to be any good because at the end of hte day they are brought on the cheap etc. Just my opinion.

Absolutely and it's interesting to get opinions. Looking at a pic isn't easy! It's an interesting thread because the quality of League balls varies. In the TVL the ball cost £15 and could be used for 2 games on any surface. It would seam and swing, thanks to big seam. The Wetherby League in contrast uses Readers and it's crap. You can choose from 3 balls but the cheapest is an awful dark colour and is useless. The middle is ok but not much different to the top end ball - both of which don't seam or swing. £14 and £17 for these balls was a disgrace.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: tim2000s on February 02, 2013, 09:30:42 PM
To be honest, without knowing who it was manufactured by, i wouldn't guess. If it was Raje or Uzi, I'd guess around £15, but I'm sure it's decent.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:35:01 PM
good guess Tim!

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nbLC0ke4IWc/UQpRtdRepFI/AAAAAAAAIXw/HvgRCL8m5G4/s1021/20130131_110825.jpg)

The ball in question is £8, less possibly if you buy in bulk. It's from Raje Sports in Dewsbury and used in a number of small leagues in Yorkshire. When I showed one of our club officials the ball, he, being an opening bowler, nearly wet himself with excitement. He said he wanted to have a bowl right now with this ball!. Same couldn't be said of many other league balls going around.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:38:12 PM
([url]http://www.prodirectcricket.com/productimages/TechSpecs3/8740.jpg[/url])

How much do you think this one is?


Discolouration and a small but well stitched, possibly machine made seam. Is it a kooks? Pot luck, if a league use it then £12-14. I suspect it could be brought for £5-10 max.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 09:39:32 PM
([url]http://www.prodirectcricket.com/productimages/TechSpecs3/8740.jpg[/url])

How much do you think this one is?


I reckon that would cost about £10. I don't like it again because it's seam looks like it'll rise and doesn't look very pronounced. Colour isn't 'nice' either.

I'd be very interested to know how leagues decide upon which 'league' balls to make teams use. Mainly because I'm assuming they don't actually care about the quality.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: tim2000s on February 02, 2013, 09:41:08 PM
Most league balls are rubbish.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 09:45:12 PM
Most league balls are rubbish.


But why? Why don't the administrators demand more quality balls?? Why put up with such crap ones? A decent ball can make a game so much better, the same as a crap ball can also affect a game.

I buy these balls (barring 3 I got off Kieron recently) usually.
http://www.cricketdirect.com/Catalogue/Cricket-Balls/Readers-Cricket-Balls/Readers-Sovereign-Special-County-A-Cricket-Ball-119003 (http://www.cricketdirect.com/Catalogue/Cricket-Balls/Readers-Cricket-Balls/Readers-Sovereign-Special-County-A-Cricket-Ball-119003)
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: The_Bird on February 02, 2013, 09:46:17 PM
Discolouration and a small but well stitched, possibly machine made seam. Is it a kooks? Pot luck, if a league use it then £12-14. I suspect it could be brought for £5-10 max.


It's a kookaburra gold crown, £9 from PDC. So you'd expect a flat seam from kooks

(http://www.tiflex.co.uk/oxbridge/images/large/tiflex_cricket_ball_large3.jpg)


This is our league ball from tiflex, which I think are very 'nice' looking
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:49:05 PM
Leagues don't make an "informed" decision, they do it based on money.

ie. The league get sponsored by Readers in the way of a significant discount off RRP. Somewhere in the region of 50% off. In return the league agree to purchase a significant quantity and charge the clubs an agreed price somewhere just below RRP. £14 RRP ball, is charged at £13 by the league to the clubs and Readers charge only £7 to the league. Readers then either pass the difference back to the league or agree a set sponsorship amount based on the expected return.

The upshot is clubs get screwed and the league make money. Whether the league need that money for admin duties is open to debate. However, the clubs can't use a cheaper ball or buy the same ball cheaper from retailers because it has to come branded with the league logo.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 09:52:35 PM
Leagues don't make an "informed" decision

See this is frightening. Why on Earth would people go into the 'admin' side of leagues if they have no interest in making said leagues better. If they do want to make the leagues better surely one of the things they realise is crap balls are bad for the game.

Hey ho, like you say it's all about money.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 09:53:08 PM
It's a kookaburra gold crown, £9 from PDC. So you'd expect a flat seam from kooks

([url]http://www.tiflex.co.uk/oxbridge/images/large/tiflex_cricket_ball_large3.jpg[/url])


This is our league ball from tiflex, which I think are very 'nice' looking


Looks well stitched and even colouring, good ball based on that pic.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Sam on February 02, 2013, 09:54:17 PM
What actually makes a bat breaker?
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Vitas Cricket on February 02, 2013, 09:56:40 PM
In our league (cambs & Hunts Prem) we've been using the top Tiflex ball for 2 (maybe 3) years now, and its bloody lovely.

Our sunday ball is pure dirt. about 15 league boards local to us haven't even had the good grace to meet with us to discuss us sponsoring and supplying balls to their league. A few have politely declined via email, often citing their members clubs happiness with the current ball. Which is total tosh, we asked everyone of our opponents last year what their thought of the sunday ball, same response every time, crap!

The assumption ive made is that most league boards are onto a really good thing in terms of income, and are unwilliwng to change things even when we offer a better ball at a cheaper price, and offer to sponsor their league too! Madness!
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: procricket on February 02, 2013, 09:59:21 PM
What actually makes a bat breaker?

The hardness of the materials inside the ball I think
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 10:05:25 PM
often made in Asia, bat breakers have harder cores and are often over lacquered. The ball leather cracks and won't shine. Sports Direct use to do a line in these but the recent cheap balls I have had just go soft really quickly.

Here's a slaz as an example of a cheap soft ball:-

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-aJOn3zaR6Og/T3CHE3YGGOI/AAAAAAAAE2I/UwBng1-Y7_o/s905/DSC_1003.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Uj4nOb3nZrU/T3CHJ-YdbnI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/7Ui8sfH3i4U/s905/DSC_1004.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6qMRXVZdrHg/T3CHSCdGeNI/AAAAAAAAE2k/Jxd4x0kcGx4/s905/DSC_1006.JPG)

discolouration and a poorly stitched seem. Didn't last long in a game and was badly out of shape by 20 overs.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: BigBlueMachine on February 02, 2013, 10:06:16 PM
I agree that leagues make far too much money out of balls. Think about it. 2 new balls used every game, in the warwickshire cricket league there are 7 leagues each with a 2nd team league. The prem, 1st and 2nd divisions all have 12 teams, 3rd to 6th 10 teams. So every weekend there are 76 fixtures each using 2 new balls and lets say the league make £5 a ball that's £760 a week for supplying balls. Yes admin costs need to be covered but isn't that what league fees are for?

Having said that last year the league did have a 2 week trial of a ball they were considering using for next year. Every club was supplied with the balls and had to se them in the league and give feedback on the quality. So at least they are trying to involve the clubs in the choice of balls used.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 10:09:37 PM
In our league (cambs & Hunts Prem) we've been using the top Tiflex ball for 2 (maybe 3) years now, and its bloody lovely.

Our sunday ball is pure dirt. about 15 league boards local to us haven't even had the good grace to meet with us to discuss us sponsoring and supplying balls to their league. A few have politely declined via email, often citing their members clubs happiness with the current ball. Which is total tosh, we asked everyone of our opponents last year what their thought of the sunday ball, same response every time, crap!

The assumption ive made is that most league boards are onto a really good thing in terms of income, and are unwilliwng to change things even when we offer a better ball at a cheaper price, and offer to sponsor their league too! Madness!

I assume the sunday league your on about is the Rutland league. Those balls are so bad often last year we 'accidentally' bowled something the batsmen could smash for 6's and then we 'accidentally' couldn't find the ball and so used 'a spare'.. Which happened to be a usually one of my balls :)

If it is that league I know our club has complained for the last two seasons about them at least (i've only played for 2 years) and like you say, I've not met any team that has a good word to say. I'd venture it's not that members are happy, it's just they are so used to being ignored they don't mention it!

That uksaunders looks like the balls used for sunday league!!
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 02, 2013, 10:17:08 PM
The slaz was £3 or £4. We brought some kooks balls for Sunday friendlies last year and these were supposed to be for backup ie. lost balls or spare t20. When pressed into service for 40 overs, even on soft decks, they didn't last very well.


Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 10:21:44 PM
I can't remember what or who the sunday league balls were. Jake will probably know/remember. I used to have one that had only been used for 30 overs but was crap so I threw it away. You barely get 45 overs out of them tbh, by the time your done they are properly destroyed. I'd hate to be a bowler that actually relied on swing or seam as you'd be useless.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: RossViper on February 02, 2013, 10:33:50 PM
I thought it looked decent, 4 piece,  good shape, decent and even stitching, would like it darker mind.

Good shape, would need to see what it played like though I guess.

Nice shape though, very round. 
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Vitas Cricket on February 02, 2013, 10:36:55 PM
I assume the sunday league your on about is the Rutland league. Those balls are so bad often last year we 'accidentally' bowled something the batsmen could smash for 6's and then we 'accidentally' couldn't find the ball and so used 'a spare'.. Which happened to be a usually one of my balls :)

If it is that league I know our club has complained for the last two seasons about them at least (i've only played for 2 years) and like you say, I've not met any team that has a good word to say. I'd venture it's not that members are happy, it's just they are so used to being ignored they don't mention it!

That uksaunders looks like the balls used for sunday league!!

Yup, the good old Rutland league. Orrible cheap balls.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on February 02, 2013, 10:39:03 PM
Yup, the good old Rutland league. Orrible cheap balls.

They are nasty balls.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Simmy on February 02, 2013, 10:53:21 PM
Not easy without feeling it:-

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K8zHJnUtdUQ/UQpRxa7lbSI/AAAAAAAAIX8/X_rKOHB5F_w/s1021/20130131_110835.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6-G1PgARN2E/UQpR2aPEplI/AAAAAAAAIYI/D5PC15JBnvE/s1021/20130131_110845.jpg)

we use these in our sunday league!

they are a little hard compared to dukes! but at nearly half the cost they are a good quality ball swing like mad and last
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: farnham_quins_2 on February 02, 2013, 11:04:46 PM
Ive honestly never thought about the balls we play with.

I would ask how much difference the ball makes to a game, but last year I opened the batting and left a ball that pitched about 3/4 onches outside off. It took out middle stump. Wasnt very happy. Bowler was quite apologetic about it...
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: tim2000s on February 03, 2013, 12:00:56 AM
Ive honestly never thought about the balls we play with.

I would ask how much difference the ball makes to a game, but last year I opened the batting and left a ball that pitched about 3/4 onches outside off. It took out middle stump. Wasnt very happy. Bowler was quite apologetic about it...
Good bowler ;)
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 03, 2013, 12:16:32 AM
The ball makes a massive difference. A decent ball will swing and seam, making run scoring tricky on a fairly flat surface. Get a soft ball with no seam and it can make a green top look flat.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: BigBlueMachine on February 03, 2013, 02:22:27 AM
You also want a ball to keep its shape as to not get uneven bounce.and to stay relatively hard throughout so batsmen get the full value for their shots. And by keeping its integrity (and if well looked after) a good bowler will still get bounce and potential reverse swing as well as a good seam for spin. Basically it removes the element of luck or good/bad fortune (to a degree) and makes it more about the skill of the bowler vs batsman.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: 19reading87 on February 03, 2013, 11:26:35 PM
good guess Tim!

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nbLC0ke4IWc/UQpRtdRepFI/AAAAAAAAIXw/HvgRCL8m5G4/s1021/20130131_110825.jpg)

The ball in question is £8, less possibly if you buy in bulk. It's from Raje Sports in Dewsbury and used in a number of small leagues in Yorkshire. When I showed one of our club officials the ball, he, being an opening bowler, nearly wet himself with excitement. He said he wanted to have a bowl right now with this ball!. Same couldn't be said of many other league balls going around.

He is not an opening bowler!!!!
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 03, 2013, 11:34:19 PM
he opened in the Sunday game, good enough for me  :D
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: 19reading87 on February 04, 2013, 10:05:28 AM
He won't be for me lol
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: uknsaunders on February 27, 2013, 03:12:15 PM
Sorry to dig up one of my old topics but if anybody is interested in buying some of these balls then pm me for his details. I'm not on commission btw, just happy to help clubs keep costs down. I'm sure some of our sponsors will have similar deals though.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: chaudhari21 on March 04, 2013, 03:28:37 AM
How about white cricket balls. I would like to see a few pictures of good white balls. Our league here for some reason always find bat breaking balls. Their excuse is that is it tougher to find good white cricket balls.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: tim2000s on March 04, 2013, 01:49:38 PM
I've found a couple of Readers White and Pink balls that were excellent.
Title: Re: What would you pay for this Ball
Post by: Uzi Sports on March 04, 2013, 01:53:08 PM
How about white cricket balls. I would like to see a few pictures of good white balls. Our league here for some reason always find bat breaking balls. Their excuse is that is it tougher to find good white cricket balls.
we have top quality White Balls available. i can send you the photos tomorrow. Best way to check a cricket ball is to cut into 2 halves and see How many wool/cork layers have been used....