Kookaburra Ball: County Cricket Bowling Struggles
- England captain Ben Stokes may not have liked hearing that his county Durham conceded over 800 runs, but he recognises the wider benefits.
- In doing so, he acknowledged the contribution of England's new bowling consultant Tim Southee, a veteran of 107 Tests for New Zealand, predominantly using the Kookaburra ball.
- "Tim has built a career on being able to find ways of getting batters out even when it's not in your favour," said Stokes.
The use of the Kookaburra has had its supporters, though.
England captain Ben Stokes may not have liked hearing that his county Durham conceded over 800 runs, but he recognises the wider benefits.
In doing so, he acknowledged the contribution of England’s new bowling consultant Tim Southee, a veteran of 107 Tests for New Zealand, predominantly using the Kookaburra ball.
“Tim has built a career on being able to find ways of getting batters out even when it’s not in your favour,” said Stokes.
“He’s passed over knowledge to our bowlers which has actually been invaluable for them, and made them understand that it’s not always going to be in your favour.
“So what are we going to do as a unit to try and create some pressure to get some wickets when it’s flat?”
There will have been plenty of mutterings in dressing rooms from tired bowlers after a day’s play, but while using the ball is a challenge, Warwickshire seamer Ethan Bamber admits that trying to improve is part of the cricketer’s job.
“It is different, of course it is,” he told BBC Radio WM. “You don’t get as much consistent help from the ball.
“It creates good games – last week we almost had a cracking game [against Somerset], and it makes you develop different skills, and tough, long days of cricket. And sometimes that’s really good.
“One of the reasons we all play is to try to get better and find out how good we can be, and this is a way of doing it.”