Key takeaways
- Red balls are traditional and used in Tests and first-class cricket; white balls are used in limited-overs cricket because they stay visible under floodlights.
- Pink balls were introduced for day/night Tests: they deteriorate more slowly than white and are easier to see at night than red. The first pink-ball Test was in November 2015.
- A ball has a cork core wound with string inside a stitched leather case, with six rows of stitching on the seam.
- Test balls differ by country: SG in India, Dukes in England, Ireland and the West Indies, Kookaburra elsewhere; white-ball internationals use Kookaburra.
- The 2026 Laws rename ball categories Size 1, 2 and 3 with uniform tolerances; Size 1, the traditional men's ball, is 156 to 163 g.
A cricket ball looks simple: hard, round and red, white or pink. Wikipedia's article on the ball notes that balls from different makers behave differently, and colour changes how long a ball stays visible and in good condition. This guide covers the three colours, how balls are made, the main manufacturers, and the new size categories in MCC's 2026 Laws.
Three colours, three jobs
| Ball | Used in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Tests and first-class cricket | The traditional colour, contrasting with white clothing |
| White | Limited-overs cricket | Stays visible under floodlights |
| Pink | Day/night Tests | Lasts longer than white, more visible at night than red |
Wikipedia's article on the cricket ball explains the reasoning. A red ball under yellow floodlights takes on a brownish colour close to that of the pitch, so night cricket needed a white ball, and all professional one-day matches now use white balls even in daylight. Wikipedia adds, in a passage it flags as needing a citation, that white balls swing a lot more during the first half of an innings and deteriorate more quickly. Day/night Test cricket needed something else, because Test players wear white: Wikipedia notes pink was introduced to contrast with white clothing and for better visibility at night. A pink ball was first used in an international match in July 2009, when England Women beat Australia in a one-day game at Wormsley, and first used in a day/night Test in November 2015.
How a ball is made
Wikipedia describes the construction: a cork core, layered with tightly wound string, inside a leather case with a slightly raised stitched seam. A top-quality ball has four pieces of leather shaped like the peel of a quartered orange, with one hemisphere rotated 90 degrees relative to the other. The "equator" is the prominent seam, with six rows of stitches; the two remaining joins form the quarter seam, stitched internally.
That seam is what fast bowlers use to swing and seam the ball; pace versus spin bowling explains how.
The three manufacturers
Wikipedia names the three main makers used in international cricket:
| Maker | Where its red or pink ball is used in Tests | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SG | India | Hand-stitched |
| Dukes | England, Ireland and the West Indies | Hand-stitched with a prouder seam; tends to swing more |
| Kookaburra | All other Test countries | Inner two seam rows hold the halves together; outer rows are machine-stitched for grip |
All limited-overs internationals, wherever they are played, use white Kookaburra balls. The differences matter: Wikipedia notes the Dukes ball's tendency to swing can give a home advantage against teams unused to it.
The 2026 ball sizes
MCC's summary of the 2026 changes lists tighter tolerances for women's and junior balls as its first major change. Previously, the tolerance for those balls was so wide that a small women's ball could be smaller and lighter than a big junior ball. The categories are now Size 1, Size 2 and Size 3, with uniform margins; Size 1, traditionally the men's ball, is unchanged.
Law 4.1 sets the specifications for a new ball:
| Size | Weight | Circumference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.5–5.75 oz / 156–163 g | 8.81–9 in / 22.4–22.9 cm |
| 2 | 5–5.25 oz / 142–149 g | 8.46–8.66 in / 21.5–22 cm |
| 3 | 4.69–4.84 oz / 133–140 g | 8.07–8.27 in / 20.5–21 cm |
The governing body for a match decides which size is used.
New balls and looking after them
Law 4 lets either captain demand a new ball at the start of each innings, and in matches of more than one day the fielding captain may take another after 80 overs. The ICC's October 2026 ODI conditions use two new white balls, one from each end, for overs 1 to 34, after which the fielding side keeps one for the rest; Test versus ODI versus T20 compares the formats.
Changing the ball's condition is policed. Under the ICC's playing conditions, if the umpires believe saliva has been applied to the ball, they award five penalty runs to the batting side and replace the ball, unless they believe the fielding team applied the saliva deliberately to get the ball changed.
Equipment rules for the other half of the contest are in cricket bat rules, and how the surface works on the ball in how cricket pitches affect play. In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, pace and spin bowling are separate skills your cricketer can develop.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Why does Test cricket use a red ball?
Why is a pink ball used in day/night Tests?
Do Dukes balls swing more than Kookaburras?
How heavy is a cricket ball?
Sources
- The Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), Law 4 The ball (opens in a new tab)Marylebone Cricket Club — accessed
- Laws of Cricket: Changes for 2026 (opens in a new tab)Marylebone Cricket Club — accessed
- Cricket ball (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
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