Lesson 10 of 14
Ball Age Phases
5 min read•3/19 sections
Overs 0-10, 10-30, 30+.
Phase 1 (0-10): New, hard, lacquered — and , catches.
Phase 2 (10-30): Softening, lacquer cracking — best phase for the to grip, hardest to score against on a .
Phase 3 (30+): Old, scuffed, soft — on offer for skilled bowlers; spin grips on dry surfaces.
Technical Breakdown
19-section schemaDefinition
A cricket ball goes through three distinct life phases that change what it does.
History
The cricket ball's cork-and- construction dates to the 1770s (Duke's of Kent); pink and white balls were introduced later for day-night and limited-overs cricket.
Tactical Use
Captains rotate bowlers to match phase — strike bowlers in 1 and 3, defensive in 2.