Slazenger Pro Cricket Ball

•  a moulded core of 3 layers of cork
•  wound with 2 layers of wool
•  covered in vegetable tanned leather
•  sprayed with lacquer
•  secured with a double seam of yarn sewn around the circumference to add extra strength

It weighs 5 ½ oz (156g) and should have a circumference of between 22.4cm and 22.9cm.  Ladies and junior balls are lighter in weight and size. Traditionally cricket balls are dyed red for Test cricket and first-class cricket.  However, when matches began being played by floodlight at night it was found white balls were more visible.  Some professional one day matches also now use white balls.

Albert & Ralph Slazenger two brothers from Manchester established the Slazenger company in the early 1880’s and is one of the oldest sporting brands.  Slazenger continue to sell a range of sporting equipment as well as being the official supplier of tennis balls to the Wimbledon Championships since 1902.

The game of cricket originated in the South East of England in the early 18th Century. Cricket is played with two teams of 11 players competing against each other.  The field is oval with a rectangular pitch in the middle.  At each end of the pitch is a wooden wicket made up of stumps, with a horizontal bail over the top.  Each side takes turns at batting and bowling, this is called an innings.  The bowler will bowl a ball towards the batsman trying to hit the wickets so that the bail falls.  The batsman will aim to defend his wicket, hit the ball with his bat and make as many runs between the two sets of wickets.