KOOKABURRA has made several changes to the way it makes its traditional red cricket balls in the wake of last summer’s Test debacle at the WACA Ground.
The balls had to be regularly changed throughout the match after players complained they were going soft, with one new ball abandoned after just six overs.
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor described one of the offending balls as a “bean bag’’ after a close-up inspection.
The latest balls will be used in the First Test between Australia and South Africa starting at the WACA Ground on Thursday.
Kookaburra Group spokesman Shannon Gill said the manufacturer remained puzzled following an analysis of the problem balls from Perth last summer, which revealed “nothing alarming’’.
Gill said they had introduced “three or four strengthening procedures for the leather’’.
“We’re always looking at ways to improve the manufacturing process and there’s no question that the Perth experience made us look at that even more closely,’’ he said.
“We’ve added some further quality control measures and components to the manufacturing process that won’t change the look and feel of the ball, but we think will help the durability of it.