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Cricket Australia ditches Dukes ball, opts to only use Kookaburra in 2020/21 Sheffield Shield

Rob ForsaithThe West Australian
VideoAustralia’s ODI series against Zimbabwe in August has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Cricket Australia has put its Dukes ball experiment on ice, deciding to use Kookaburra throughout the coming Sheffield Shield season as it seeks to help spinners develop.

CA had used a Dukes ball in the second half of Shield seasons since 2016-17, wanting players to prepare for the same pill they would encounter if selected on an Ashes tour.

The ploy was one of many pieces of the puzzle that helped Australia retain the Ashes in 2019, a feat that no Australian team had accomplished in England since 2001.

It is likely the British ball will be used again in Australia’s first-class competition whenever attention shifts to the Ashes tour that is currently scheduled for 2023.

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CA’s head of cricket operations Peter Roach noted “we see a definite opportunity to reintroduce the Dukes ball at some stage in the future“, but for now CA will stick with Kookaburra.

“The introduction of the Dukes ball has been a worthwhile exercise ... we have been happy with how the ball has performed when used in Australian conditions over the past four seasons,” Roach said.

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Ashton Agar of Western Australia is seen on day 2 of the Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and South Australia.
Camera IconAshton Agar of Western Australia is seen on day 2 of the Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and South Australia. Credit: RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE

““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.”

Roach added that spinners in the “Sheffield Shield have been playing less of a role in recent seasons, most notably in games when the Dukes ball is in use”.

“We need spinners bowling in first-class cricket and we need our batters facing spin,” he said.

“We hope that the change to one ball with have a positive benefit here.”

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