SPORTS GOODS
FOOTBALL
Over 42 million soccer balls worth Rs17.473 million have been exported from Sialkot so far ahead of the FIFA Football World Cup 2014.
Sources in Sialkot Dry Port told APP on Monday that adequate arrangements have been made for prompt clearance of export consignments at dry port to facilitate timely delivery.
Sialkot made soccer ball “Brazuca” will be used in upcoming FIFA Football World Cup matches in Brazil after a gap of 32 years. The ball was produced by Forward Sports Sialkot for Adidas. The name Brazuca is an informal local term which means “Brazilian” or to describe the Brazilian way of life.
Brazuca is a breakthrough innovation featuring a revolutionary 6 panel design created for every player on the field. The ball features six identical panels alongside a unique surface that will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the field.
The success story of Sialkot industries is based on the unmatched skill and craftsmanship of local workers.
In 1980s Sialkot gained international celebrity status when it produced the “Tango Ball” used in FIFA Football World cup in 1982 which led further growth of soccer ball industry.
All the major international brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, Select, Litto, Umbro, Mitre, Micassa, Diadora, Wilsoms and Decathion are sourcing their supply of footballs from this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country.
Sialkot is the only city of Pakistan where 99 percent products are exported to various countries of the world. Sialkot based small and medium industries are earning foreign exchange of over US 1.6 billion dollars annually through exports and strengthening the national economy.
Under the directives of federal government a project of “Sports Industries Development Centre” (SIDC) has been initiated costing more than Rs435.637 million in Sialkot for modernising soccer ball industry. The SICD is fully equipped with latest machinery which has already started its trail production.
The prime objective of setting up of SIDC was to help sports goods sector to adopt modern technology of mechanized “Thermo Lamination Balls” by providing the common facilities, technical advisory services, molding machinery services and training. The SIDC will help businessmen and manufacturers engaged in soccer ball industry to modernize the industry and as well as help in resolving problems confronting the industry, especially technology of mechanized ball that is threatening the hand-stitched soccer ball.
SIDC would have the facilities like making prototype balls for the industry, training of skilled workers for the industries in mould, rubber technologies, mechanized thermo laminated balls, provision of manufacturing facilities for SMEs to secure their export orders for mechanized thermo laminated balls. SIDC would also help develop machinery locally through reverse engineering and providing assistance in setting up mechanized thermo laminated balls production in individual industrial units engaged with sports goods sector of Sialkot would be available in SIDC.
In addition, the machinery set up is fully capable of producing and testing thermo laminated balls meeting the standards of FIFA, rubber mixing equipments, bladder manufacturing equipments, yarn winding and vulcanization, panel cuttings/ print/ lamination and laboratory with latest machinery were available in SIDC.
The centre would also assist the industry to cope with challenges of product development by enhancing the capacity and competitiveness of Sialkot football industry in the field of mechanized soccer balls as well as transfer of technology for manufacturing of 3500 thermo laminated balls (soccer ball), volley ball’s and basketballs per 8 hours shift to Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC).
The project will facilitate in sustaining Pakistan’s position in international market of inflatable balls in general and soccer balls in particular.
It may be mentioned that the Federal government has taken this bold step to address the problems of soccer ball industry of Sialkot, besides modernization of sports goods sector.
The sports goods industry was confronting with a serious threat in the form of “thermo molded balls” that are made through medium end technology to produce a ball with most characteristics of a hand stitched ball. Sialkot is catering 85 percent of the total world demand for hand stitched inflatable balls that mean 60 million balls annually.
CRICKET BATS
The blade of a cricket bat is a wooden block that is generally flat on the striking face and with a ridge on the reverse (back) which concentrates wood in the middle where the ball is generally hit. The bat is traditionally made from willow wood, specifically from a variety of White Willow called Cricket Bat Willow (Salix Alba var. caerulea) treated with raw (unboiled) linseed oil, which has a protective function. This variety of willow is used as it is very tough and shock-resistant, not being significantly dented nor splintering on the impact of a cricket ball at speed whiless also being light in weight. The face of the bat is often covered with a protective film by the user.
The blade is connected to a long cylindrical cane handle, similar to that of a mid 20th century tennis racquet, by means of a splice. The handle is usually covered with a rubber grip. Bats incorporate a wooden spring design where the handle meets the blade. The current design of a cane handle spliced into a willow blade through atapered splice was the invention in the 1880s of Charles Richardson, a pupil ofBrunel and the first chief engineer of the Severn railway tunnel. Spliced handles had been used before this but tended to break at the corner of the join. The taper provides a more gradual transfer of load from the bat's blade to the handle and avoids this problem.
The edges of the blade closest to the handle are known as the shoulders of the bat, and the bottom of the blade is known as the toe of the bat.
Bats were not always this shape. Before the 18th century bats tended to be shaped similarly to a modern hockey sticks. This may well have been a legacy of the game's reputed origins. Although the first forms of cricket are obscure it may be that the game was first played using shepherd's crooks.
When first purchased, most bats are not ready for immediate use and require knocking in order to allow the soft fibers to strike a hard new cricket ball without causing damage to the bat, and allowing full power to be transferred to the shot. Knocking-in involves striking the surface with an old cricket ball or a special mallet. This compacts the soft fibers within the bat and reduces the risk of the bat snapping. The bat may also need raw linseed oil which fills in the gaps between the fibers.
Various companies have over the years tried new shapes that come within the laws of the game to make a name for them and to improve sales. In the 1960s the first shoulder less bats appeared from Slazenger. This allowed more of the weight to be redistributed to the "sweet spot" of the blade providing more power to each stroke whilst still having good balance and light "pick up." This style of bat was made famous by Cairns six sixes in match played in 1983.
The 1970s saw double-sided bats from Warsop Stebbing. With the advent of Twenty-Twenty cricket, double-sided bats are experiencing renewed interest.
In 1974 the first GN100 Scoop was released; this was the first bat to turn shaping on its head by removing the wood from the centre of the rear of the bat. By removing this wood, the bat became lighter, its sweet spot grew and its pick up improved. Even though there is less material, strong strokes are still possible if well-timed. It allows weaker players to play many strokes they would otherwise omit from their repertoire.
This bat quickly became a big seller and various scooped bats such as the GN500, Dynadrive and Viper have been released by Gray Nicolls ever since, including a re-release of the Scoop itself for the 2012 English season. The removal of wood from the rear has been copied by many other companies without much critical acclaim.
In 1979 Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee briefly used a ComBat aluminium metal bat. After some discussion with the umpires, and after complaints by the English team that it was damaging the ball, which was later proved untrue, he was urged by the Australian captain Greg Chappell to revert to a wooden bat. The rules of cricket were shortly thereafter amended stating that the blade of a bat must be made entirely of wood.
In 2005 Kookaburra released a new type of bat that had a Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer support down the spine of the bat. It was put on the bat to provide more support to the spine and blade of the bat, thus prolonging the life of the bat. The first player to use this new bat in international cricket was Australian Ricky Ponting. However this innovation in cricketing technology was controversially banned by the ICC as they were advised by the MCC that it unfairly gave more power in the shot and was unfair in competition as not all players had access to this new technology. But this was not taken lightly by Australian media as Ponting had scored plenty of runs since he started to use his new bat and English reporters had blamed this success on the new 'unfair' piece of technology in his bat.
In 2005 Newbery created a carbon fiber handle the C6 and C6+, which weighed 3 ounces/85 grams less than a standard laminated cane and rubber handle. It was used by Newbery and Puma for 3 years before the concept was copied by Gray Nicolls with a hollow plastic tube. However, this provoked the MCC to change the law on materials in handles amid fears that the new technology would lead to an increase in the distance the ball was hit. Now only 10% of the volume of the handle can be other than cane.
In 2008 Gray-Nicolls launched a bat with a second face on the base of the back of the bat. It was purely a marketing move as no paid players used the bat in competition. In 2011 they also produced a bat with an offset handle position known as The Edge in what was also purely a marketing move.
Also in late 2008 SAF Bats created a cricket bat with an offset edge the edge offsetting allowed for an extended middle better swing weight and increased performance without compromising the cricket bat's balance. The production models were available in 2009 and the bat won awards in 2010 and 2012.
CRICKET BALL
A cricket ball is a hard solid ball used to play cricket. A cricket ball consists of cork covered by leather and manufacture is regulated by cricket law at first class level. The manipulation of a cricket ball, through employment of its various physical properties, is the staple component of bowling and dismissing batsmen – movement in the air, and off the ground is influenced by the condition of the ball, the efforts of the bowler and the pitch while working on the cricket ball to obtain an optimum condition is a key role of the fielding side. The cricket ball is the principal manner through which the batsman scores runs by manipulating the ball into a position where it would be safe to take a run, or by directing the ball through the boundary.
In Test cricket, professional domestic games that spread over a multitude of days, and almost the entirety of amateur cricket, the traditional red cricket ball is used. In many one day cricket matches, a white ball is used instead in order to remain visible under floodlights, and since 2010, pink has been introduced to contrast with players' white clothing. Training balls of white, red and pink are also common, and wind balls and tennis balls in a cricket motif can be used for training or informal cricket matches. During cricket matches, the quality of the ball changes to a point where it is no longer usable, and during this decline its properties alter and thus influence the match. Altering the state of the cricket ball outside the permitted manners designated in the rules of cricket is prohibited during a match, and 'ball tampering' has resulted in numerous controversies.
Cricket balls, weighing between 155.9 and 163.0 grammes, are known for their hardness and for the risk of injury involved when using them. The danger of cricket balls was a key motivator for the introduction of protective equipment. Injuries due to cricket balls occur and fatalities have been attributed to cricket balls.
The nature of the cricket ball slightly varies with its manufacturer. White Kookaburra balls are used in One Day Internationals and T20Is while red Kookaburras are used in Tests played in most of the 10 Test-playing nations the exceptions being the West Indies and England teams, who use Dukes and India, who use SG balls.
British Standard BS 5993 specifies the construction details, dimensions quality and performance of cricket balls.
A cricket ball is made from a core of cork, which is layered with tightly wound string, and covered by a leather case with a slightly raised sewn seam. In a top-quality ball suitable for the highest levels of competition, the covering is constructed of four pieces of leather shaped similar to the peel of a quartered orange, but one hemisphere is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the other. The "equator" of the ball is stitched with string to form the ball's prominent seam with a total of six rows of stitches. The remaining two joins between the leather pieces are stitched internally. Lower-quality balls with a 2-piece covering are also popular for practice and lower-level competition due to their lower cost.
For men's cricket, the ball must weigh between 5 1/2 and 5 3/4 ounces (155.9 and 163.0 g) and measure between 8 13/16 and 9 in (224 and 229 mm) in circumference. In women's cricket the ball must weigh between 4 15/16 and 5 1/16 ounces (139.9 and 143.5 g) and measure between 8.3 and 8.9 in (210 and 225 mm) in circumference. A plastic cricket ball (known as a "Kwik cricket ball") is often used in matches for players who are or younger than 9 years old. Matches for 10 to 13 year olds are played with a ball weighing between 4 11/16 and 5 1/16 ounces (132.9 and 143.5 g). The ball for 10 to 13 year old games must measure between 8 and 8.9 in (205 and 225 mm). Any match for 14 year olds and above which not a men’s match is is still played with a fully sized men's cricket ball.
Cricket balls are traditionally dyed red, and red balls are used in Test cricket and First. White balls were introduced when one-day matches began being played at night under floodlights, as they are more visible at night. Professional one-day matches are now played with white balls even when they are not played at night. Other colours have occasionally been experimented with, such as yellow and orange (Glowing composite) for improved night visibility but the colouring process has so far rendered such balls unsuitable for professional play because they wear differently from standard balls. A pink ball was used for the first time in an international match in July 2009 when the England Woman's team defeated Australia at Wormsley. The white ball has been found to swing a lot more during the first half of the innings than the red ball and also deteriorates more quickly, although manufacturers claim that white and red balls are manufactured using the same methods and materials. Cricket balls are expensive. As of 2007, the ball used in first class cricket in England has a recommended retail price of 70 pounds sterling. In test match cricket this ball is used for a minimum of 80 over’s (theoretically five hours and twenty minutes of play). In professional one day cricket, at least two new balls are used for each match. Amateur cricketers often have to use old balls, or cheap substitutes, in which case the changes in the condition of the ball may not be experienced in the same manner as that which occurs during an innings of professional cricket.
The manufacturer of the cricket ball used in international matches can depend upon location. The white Kookaburra balls are used in one-day internationals & T20Is while the red Kookaburra is used in Tests in most nations apart from West Indies & England (Dukes) and India (SG). All One Day International matches, regardless of location, are played with Kookaburra balls. ICC took the controversial decision to use a white "Duke" ball for the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Due to the erratic behavior of the ball, the experiment was not repeated. For the 2012 season, Pakistan adopted Kookaburra balls also for their First Class Cricket. Prior to that Grays had been supplying locally manufactured balls in the Patron's Trophy. This change was inappropriate since some departments found it difficult to bear the cost of the imported Kookaburra. PCB switched back to Grays the following season.
An ongoing challenge associated with the white cricket balls used in One Day Internationals is that they become dirty fairly quickly, which makes it more difficult for batsmen to sight the ball later in the innings. Since October 2012, this has been managed by the use of two new white balls in each innings, with a different ball used from each bowling end; the same strategy was used in the 1992 and 1996 Cricket World Cups. Prior to this, ICC had announced in October 2007 that one new ball was to be used from the start of the innings, and then swapped at the end of the 34th over with a "reconditioned ball", which was neither new nor too dirty to see. Before October 2007, except during 1992 and 1996 World Cups, only one ball was used during an innings of an ODI and it was the umpire’s discretion to change the ball if it was difficult to see.
Tennis Racket
A racket or racquet is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched tightly. It is used for striking a ball in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. Collectively, these games are known as sports. This predecessor to the modern game of squash, rackets, is played with 30 1⁄2 inches (770 mm) wooden rackets. While squash equipment has evolved in the intervening century, rackets equipment has changed little.
The frame of rackets for all sports was traditionally made of laminated wood and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut. The traditional racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle. Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve stiffness. Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminium, and then carbon fiber composites. Wood is still used for real tennis, rackets, and xare. Most rackets are now made of composite materials including carbon fibre or fiberglass, metals such as titanium alloys, or ceramics.
Gut has partially been replaced by synthetic materials including nylon, polyamide, and other polymers. Rackets are restrung when necessary, which may be after every match for a professional or never for a social player. Badminton rackets are light, with top quality rackets weighing between about 80 and 100 grams (with strings). Modern rackets are composed of carbon fibre composite (graphite reinforced plastic), which may be augmented by a variety of materials. Carbon fibre has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives excellent kinetic transfer. Before the adoption of carbon fibre composite, rackets were made of wood to their excessive weight and cost.
There is a wide variety of racket designs, although the racket size and shape are limited by the Laws. Different rackets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape is still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new rackets.
The parts of a tennis racket are the head, rim, face, neck, butt/butt cap, handle, and strings.
Modern tennis rackets vary in length, weight, and head size. 21" to 26" is normally a junior's length, while 27" or 27.5" are for stronger and taller adult players. Weights of a racket also vary between 8 ounces (230 g) unstrung and 12.5 ounces (350 g) strung. Rackets originally flared outward at the bottom of the handle to prevent slipping. The rounded bottom was called a bark bottom after its inventor Matthew Barker. But by 1947, this style became superfluous. Head size also plays a role in a racket's qualities. A larger head size generally means more power and a larger "sweet spot" that is more forgiving on off-center hits. A smaller head size offers more precise control. Current racket head sizes vary between 85 sq. inches and 137 sq. inches, with most players adopting one from 95-105 sq. inches.
Throughout most of tennis' history, rackets were made of laminated wood, with heads of around 65 square inches. In the late 1960s, Wilson produced the T2000 steel racket with wire wound around the frame to make string loops. It was popularized by the top American player Jimmy Connors. In 1975, aluminum construction allowed for the introduction of the first "oversized" racket, which was manufactured by Weed. Prince popularized the oversize racket, which had a head size of approximately 110 square-inches and opened the door for the introduction of rackets having other non-standard head sizes such as mid-size (90 square inches) and mid-plus size (95 square inches). In the early 1980s, "graphite" (carbon fiber) composites were introduced, and other materials were added to the composite, including ceramics, glass-fiber, boron, and titanium. The Dunlop Max200G used by John McEnroe from 1983 was an early graphite racket, along with the very popular Prince original graphite. Composite rackets are the contemporary standard. Longer rackets were introduced by Dunlop to give additional reach for shots such as the serve and volley where shorter players may be at a disadvantage. Mid-size or mid-plus rackets are the general standard for professional players. Stringing (material, pattern, and tension) is an important factor in the performance of a tennis racket. A few elite players use natural gut, but the vast majority of strings are a nylon or polyester synthetic. Some (American champion Pete Sampras is a prominent example) consider the natural string to be more responsive, providing a better "feel", but synthetic is favored for its much superior durability, consistency, as well as much lower cost. String pattern (the vertical/horizontal grid) is a function of the racket head size and design. A tighter pattern is considered to deliver more precise control; a more "open" pattern to offer greater potential for power and spin. Modern rackets are marked with a recommended string tension range. The basic rule is that a lower tension creates more power (from a "trampoline" effect) and a higher string tension creates more control (the less 'trampoline effect' the more predictable the power and angle of the departure from the string bed.)
Posted by: Syed Sarim Ali and Mohammad Aheed Khan
FOOTBALL
Over 42 million soccer balls worth Rs17.473 million have been exported from Sialkot so far ahead of the FIFA Football World Cup 2014.
Sources in Sialkot Dry Port told APP on Monday that adequate arrangements have been made for prompt clearance of export consignments at dry port to facilitate timely delivery.
Sialkot made soccer ball “Brazuca” will be used in upcoming FIFA Football World Cup matches in Brazil after a gap of 32 years. The ball was produced by Forward Sports Sialkot for Adidas. The name Brazuca is an informal local term which means “Brazilian” or to describe the Brazilian way of life.
Brazuca is a breakthrough innovation featuring a revolutionary 6 panel design created for every player on the field. The ball features six identical panels alongside a unique surface that will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the field.
The success story of Sialkot industries is based on the unmatched skill and craftsmanship of local workers.
In 1980s Sialkot gained international celebrity status when it produced the “Tango Ball” used in FIFA Football World cup in 1982 which led further growth of soccer ball industry.
All the major international brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, Select, Litto, Umbro, Mitre, Micassa, Diadora, Wilsoms and Decathion are sourcing their supply of footballs from this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country.
Sialkot is the only city of Pakistan where 99 percent products are exported to various countries of the world. Sialkot based small and medium industries are earning foreign exchange of over US 1.6 billion dollars annually through exports and strengthening the national economy.
Under the directives of federal government a project of “Sports Industries Development Centre” (SIDC) has been initiated costing more than Rs435.637 million in Sialkot for modernising soccer ball industry. The SICD is fully equipped with latest machinery which has already started its trail production.
The prime objective of setting up of SIDC was to help sports goods sector to adopt modern technology of mechanized “Thermo Lamination Balls” by providing the common facilities, technical advisory services, molding machinery services and training. The SIDC will help businessmen and manufacturers engaged in soccer ball industry to modernize the industry and as well as help in resolving problems confronting the industry, especially technology of mechanized ball that is threatening the hand-stitched soccer ball.
SIDC would have the facilities like making prototype balls for the industry, training of skilled workers for the industries in mould, rubber technologies, mechanized thermo laminated balls, provision of manufacturing facilities for SMEs to secure their export orders for mechanized thermo laminated balls. SIDC would also help develop machinery locally through reverse engineering and providing assistance in setting up mechanized thermo laminated balls production in individual industrial units engaged with sports goods sector of Sialkot would be available in SIDC.
In addition, the machinery set up is fully capable of producing and testing thermo laminated balls meeting the standards of FIFA, rubber mixing equipments, bladder manufacturing equipments, yarn winding and vulcanization, panel cuttings/ print/ lamination and laboratory with latest machinery were available in SIDC.
The centre would also assist the industry to cope with challenges of product development by enhancing the capacity and competitiveness of Sialkot football industry in the field of mechanized soccer balls as well as transfer of technology for manufacturing of 3500 thermo laminated balls (soccer ball), volley ball’s and basketballs per 8 hours shift to Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC).
The project will facilitate in sustaining Pakistan’s position in international market of inflatable balls in general and soccer balls in particular.
It may be mentioned that the Federal government has taken this bold step to address the problems of soccer ball industry of Sialkot, besides modernization of sports goods sector.
The sports goods industry was confronting with a serious threat in the form of “thermo molded balls” that are made through medium end technology to produce a ball with most characteristics of a hand stitched ball. Sialkot is catering 85 percent of the total world demand for hand stitched inflatable balls that mean 60 million balls annually.
CRICKET BATS
The blade of a cricket bat is a wooden block that is generally flat on the striking face and with a ridge on the reverse (back) which concentrates wood in the middle where the ball is generally hit. The bat is traditionally made from willow wood, specifically from a variety of White Willow called Cricket Bat Willow (Salix Alba var. caerulea) treated with raw (unboiled) linseed oil, which has a protective function. This variety of willow is used as it is very tough and shock-resistant, not being significantly dented nor splintering on the impact of a cricket ball at speed whiless also being light in weight. The face of the bat is often covered with a protective film by the user.
The blade is connected to a long cylindrical cane handle, similar to that of a mid 20th century tennis racquet, by means of a splice. The handle is usually covered with a rubber grip. Bats incorporate a wooden spring design where the handle meets the blade. The current design of a cane handle spliced into a willow blade through atapered splice was the invention in the 1880s of Charles Richardson, a pupil ofBrunel and the first chief engineer of the Severn railway tunnel. Spliced handles had been used before this but tended to break at the corner of the join. The taper provides a more gradual transfer of load from the bat's blade to the handle and avoids this problem.
The edges of the blade closest to the handle are known as the shoulders of the bat, and the bottom of the blade is known as the toe of the bat.
Bats were not always this shape. Before the 18th century bats tended to be shaped similarly to a modern hockey sticks. This may well have been a legacy of the game's reputed origins. Although the first forms of cricket are obscure it may be that the game was first played using shepherd's crooks.
When first purchased, most bats are not ready for immediate use and require knocking in order to allow the soft fibers to strike a hard new cricket ball without causing damage to the bat, and allowing full power to be transferred to the shot. Knocking-in involves striking the surface with an old cricket ball or a special mallet. This compacts the soft fibers within the bat and reduces the risk of the bat snapping. The bat may also need raw linseed oil which fills in the gaps between the fibers.
Various companies have over the years tried new shapes that come within the laws of the game to make a name for them and to improve sales. In the 1960s the first shoulder less bats appeared from Slazenger. This allowed more of the weight to be redistributed to the "sweet spot" of the blade providing more power to each stroke whilst still having good balance and light "pick up." This style of bat was made famous by Cairns six sixes in match played in 1983.
The 1970s saw double-sided bats from Warsop Stebbing. With the advent of Twenty-Twenty cricket, double-sided bats are experiencing renewed interest.
In 1974 the first GN100 Scoop was released; this was the first bat to turn shaping on its head by removing the wood from the centre of the rear of the bat. By removing this wood, the bat became lighter, its sweet spot grew and its pick up improved. Even though there is less material, strong strokes are still possible if well-timed. It allows weaker players to play many strokes they would otherwise omit from their repertoire.
This bat quickly became a big seller and various scooped bats such as the GN500, Dynadrive and Viper have been released by Gray Nicolls ever since, including a re-release of the Scoop itself for the 2012 English season. The removal of wood from the rear has been copied by many other companies without much critical acclaim.
In 1979 Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee briefly used a ComBat aluminium metal bat. After some discussion with the umpires, and after complaints by the English team that it was damaging the ball, which was later proved untrue, he was urged by the Australian captain Greg Chappell to revert to a wooden bat. The rules of cricket were shortly thereafter amended stating that the blade of a bat must be made entirely of wood.
In 2005 Kookaburra released a new type of bat that had a Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer support down the spine of the bat. It was put on the bat to provide more support to the spine and blade of the bat, thus prolonging the life of the bat. The first player to use this new bat in international cricket was Australian Ricky Ponting. However this innovation in cricketing technology was controversially banned by the ICC as they were advised by the MCC that it unfairly gave more power in the shot and was unfair in competition as not all players had access to this new technology. But this was not taken lightly by Australian media as Ponting had scored plenty of runs since he started to use his new bat and English reporters had blamed this success on the new 'unfair' piece of technology in his bat.
In 2005 Newbery created a carbon fiber handle the C6 and C6+, which weighed 3 ounces/85 grams less than a standard laminated cane and rubber handle. It was used by Newbery and Puma for 3 years before the concept was copied by Gray Nicolls with a hollow plastic tube. However, this provoked the MCC to change the law on materials in handles amid fears that the new technology would lead to an increase in the distance the ball was hit. Now only 10% of the volume of the handle can be other than cane.
In 2008 Gray-Nicolls launched a bat with a second face on the base of the back of the bat. It was purely a marketing move as no paid players used the bat in competition. In 2011 they also produced a bat with an offset handle position known as The Edge in what was also purely a marketing move.
Also in late 2008 SAF Bats created a cricket bat with an offset edge the edge offsetting allowed for an extended middle better swing weight and increased performance without compromising the cricket bat's balance. The production models were available in 2009 and the bat won awards in 2010 and 2012.
CRICKET BALL
A cricket ball is a hard solid ball used to play cricket. A cricket ball consists of cork covered by leather and manufacture is regulated by cricket law at first class level. The manipulation of a cricket ball, through employment of its various physical properties, is the staple component of bowling and dismissing batsmen – movement in the air, and off the ground is influenced by the condition of the ball, the efforts of the bowler and the pitch while working on the cricket ball to obtain an optimum condition is a key role of the fielding side. The cricket ball is the principal manner through which the batsman scores runs by manipulating the ball into a position where it would be safe to take a run, or by directing the ball through the boundary.
In Test cricket, professional domestic games that spread over a multitude of days, and almost the entirety of amateur cricket, the traditional red cricket ball is used. In many one day cricket matches, a white ball is used instead in order to remain visible under floodlights, and since 2010, pink has been introduced to contrast with players' white clothing. Training balls of white, red and pink are also common, and wind balls and tennis balls in a cricket motif can be used for training or informal cricket matches. During cricket matches, the quality of the ball changes to a point where it is no longer usable, and during this decline its properties alter and thus influence the match. Altering the state of the cricket ball outside the permitted manners designated in the rules of cricket is prohibited during a match, and 'ball tampering' has resulted in numerous controversies.
Cricket balls, weighing between 155.9 and 163.0 grammes, are known for their hardness and for the risk of injury involved when using them. The danger of cricket balls was a key motivator for the introduction of protective equipment. Injuries due to cricket balls occur and fatalities have been attributed to cricket balls.
The nature of the cricket ball slightly varies with its manufacturer. White Kookaburra balls are used in One Day Internationals and T20Is while red Kookaburras are used in Tests played in most of the 10 Test-playing nations the exceptions being the West Indies and England teams, who use Dukes and India, who use SG balls.
British Standard BS 5993 specifies the construction details, dimensions quality and performance of cricket balls.
A cricket ball is made from a core of cork, which is layered with tightly wound string, and covered by a leather case with a slightly raised sewn seam. In a top-quality ball suitable for the highest levels of competition, the covering is constructed of four pieces of leather shaped similar to the peel of a quartered orange, but one hemisphere is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the other. The "equator" of the ball is stitched with string to form the ball's prominent seam with a total of six rows of stitches. The remaining two joins between the leather pieces are stitched internally. Lower-quality balls with a 2-piece covering are also popular for practice and lower-level competition due to their lower cost.
For men's cricket, the ball must weigh between 5 1/2 and 5 3/4 ounces (155.9 and 163.0 g) and measure between 8 13/16 and 9 in (224 and 229 mm) in circumference. In women's cricket the ball must weigh between 4 15/16 and 5 1/16 ounces (139.9 and 143.5 g) and measure between 8.3 and 8.9 in (210 and 225 mm) in circumference. A plastic cricket ball (known as a "Kwik cricket ball") is often used in matches for players who are or younger than 9 years old. Matches for 10 to 13 year olds are played with a ball weighing between 4 11/16 and 5 1/16 ounces (132.9 and 143.5 g). The ball for 10 to 13 year old games must measure between 8 and 8.9 in (205 and 225 mm). Any match for 14 year olds and above which not a men’s match is is still played with a fully sized men's cricket ball.
Cricket balls are traditionally dyed red, and red balls are used in Test cricket and First. White balls were introduced when one-day matches began being played at night under floodlights, as they are more visible at night. Professional one-day matches are now played with white balls even when they are not played at night. Other colours have occasionally been experimented with, such as yellow and orange (Glowing composite) for improved night visibility but the colouring process has so far rendered such balls unsuitable for professional play because they wear differently from standard balls. A pink ball was used for the first time in an international match in July 2009 when the England Woman's team defeated Australia at Wormsley. The white ball has been found to swing a lot more during the first half of the innings than the red ball and also deteriorates more quickly, although manufacturers claim that white and red balls are manufactured using the same methods and materials. Cricket balls are expensive. As of 2007, the ball used in first class cricket in England has a recommended retail price of 70 pounds sterling. In test match cricket this ball is used for a minimum of 80 over’s (theoretically five hours and twenty minutes of play). In professional one day cricket, at least two new balls are used for each match. Amateur cricketers often have to use old balls, or cheap substitutes, in which case the changes in the condition of the ball may not be experienced in the same manner as that which occurs during an innings of professional cricket.
The manufacturer of the cricket ball used in international matches can depend upon location. The white Kookaburra balls are used in one-day internationals & T20Is while the red Kookaburra is used in Tests in most nations apart from West Indies & England (Dukes) and India (SG). All One Day International matches, regardless of location, are played with Kookaburra balls. ICC took the controversial decision to use a white "Duke" ball for the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Due to the erratic behavior of the ball, the experiment was not repeated. For the 2012 season, Pakistan adopted Kookaburra balls also for their First Class Cricket. Prior to that Grays had been supplying locally manufactured balls in the Patron's Trophy. This change was inappropriate since some departments found it difficult to bear the cost of the imported Kookaburra. PCB switched back to Grays the following season.
An ongoing challenge associated with the white cricket balls used in One Day Internationals is that they become dirty fairly quickly, which makes it more difficult for batsmen to sight the ball later in the innings. Since October 2012, this has been managed by the use of two new white balls in each innings, with a different ball used from each bowling end; the same strategy was used in the 1992 and 1996 Cricket World Cups. Prior to this, ICC had announced in October 2007 that one new ball was to be used from the start of the innings, and then swapped at the end of the 34th over with a "reconditioned ball", which was neither new nor too dirty to see. Before October 2007, except during 1992 and 1996 World Cups, only one ball was used during an innings of an ODI and it was the umpire’s discretion to change the ball if it was difficult to see.
Tennis Racket
A racket or racquet is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched tightly. It is used for striking a ball in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. Collectively, these games are known as sports. This predecessor to the modern game of squash, rackets, is played with 30 1⁄2 inches (770 mm) wooden rackets. While squash equipment has evolved in the intervening century, rackets equipment has changed little.
The frame of rackets for all sports was traditionally made of laminated wood and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut. The traditional racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle. Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve stiffness. Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminium, and then carbon fiber composites. Wood is still used for real tennis, rackets, and xare. Most rackets are now made of composite materials including carbon fibre or fiberglass, metals such as titanium alloys, or ceramics.
Gut has partially been replaced by synthetic materials including nylon, polyamide, and other polymers. Rackets are restrung when necessary, which may be after every match for a professional or never for a social player. Badminton rackets are light, with top quality rackets weighing between about 80 and 100 grams (with strings). Modern rackets are composed of carbon fibre composite (graphite reinforced plastic), which may be augmented by a variety of materials. Carbon fibre has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives excellent kinetic transfer. Before the adoption of carbon fibre composite, rackets were made of wood to their excessive weight and cost.
There is a wide variety of racket designs, although the racket size and shape are limited by the Laws. Different rackets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape is still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new rackets.
The parts of a tennis racket are the head, rim, face, neck, butt/butt cap, handle, and strings.
Modern tennis rackets vary in length, weight, and head size. 21" to 26" is normally a junior's length, while 27" or 27.5" are for stronger and taller adult players. Weights of a racket also vary between 8 ounces (230 g) unstrung and 12.5 ounces (350 g) strung. Rackets originally flared outward at the bottom of the handle to prevent slipping. The rounded bottom was called a bark bottom after its inventor Matthew Barker. But by 1947, this style became superfluous. Head size also plays a role in a racket's qualities. A larger head size generally means more power and a larger "sweet spot" that is more forgiving on off-center hits. A smaller head size offers more precise control. Current racket head sizes vary between 85 sq. inches and 137 sq. inches, with most players adopting one from 95-105 sq. inches.
Throughout most of tennis' history, rackets were made of laminated wood, with heads of around 65 square inches. In the late 1960s, Wilson produced the T2000 steel racket with wire wound around the frame to make string loops. It was popularized by the top American player Jimmy Connors. In 1975, aluminum construction allowed for the introduction of the first "oversized" racket, which was manufactured by Weed. Prince popularized the oversize racket, which had a head size of approximately 110 square-inches and opened the door for the introduction of rackets having other non-standard head sizes such as mid-size (90 square inches) and mid-plus size (95 square inches). In the early 1980s, "graphite" (carbon fiber) composites were introduced, and other materials were added to the composite, including ceramics, glass-fiber, boron, and titanium. The Dunlop Max200G used by John McEnroe from 1983 was an early graphite racket, along with the very popular Prince original graphite. Composite rackets are the contemporary standard. Longer rackets were introduced by Dunlop to give additional reach for shots such as the serve and volley where shorter players may be at a disadvantage. Mid-size or mid-plus rackets are the general standard for professional players. Stringing (material, pattern, and tension) is an important factor in the performance of a tennis racket. A few elite players use natural gut, but the vast majority of strings are a nylon or polyester synthetic. Some (American champion Pete Sampras is a prominent example) consider the natural string to be more responsive, providing a better "feel", but synthetic is favored for its much superior durability, consistency, as well as much lower cost. String pattern (the vertical/horizontal grid) is a function of the racket head size and design. A tighter pattern is considered to deliver more precise control; a more "open" pattern to offer greater potential for power and spin. Modern rackets are marked with a recommended string tension range. The basic rule is that a lower tension creates more power (from a "trampoline" effect) and a higher string tension creates more control (the less 'trampoline effect' the more predictable the power and angle of the departure from the string bed.)
Posted by: Syed Sarim Ali and Mohammad Aheed Khan
Sialkot, Pakistan: Sialkot has a long history of producing quality sporting items for the sports industry. Over 4200 companies are registered here, including exporters of sports goods from Pakistan and sports equipment manufacturers in Sialkot. Some of the sports goods which are also made in Pakistan: Tennis ball:
The very first tennis balls date back as early as the 15th century and were made of different materials, mostly from leather stuffed with human and horse hair or wool. The Scottish craftsmen used the stomach of a sheep or goat that they wrapped with wool and tied with a rope. In the 18th century, strips of wool were tightly wound round a nucleus made of cork. Tennis balls with a cork core and cloth covering are still used in the original game of tennis, known as Real Tennis. In 1870, vulcanized rubber was first used to manufacture tennis balls. The Germans were well known for developing vulcanized air filled rubber balls. Constant improvements were being made to the ball, by wrapping flannel around their surfaces and later using a felt on the exterior. Pressurized tennis balls started to be manufactured, and are being used today. Most tennis balls are suited to all courts and surfaces. Similar to tennis rackets and tennis strings, the choice of tennis balls is a personal one. Playing regularly or too long with too soft or too heavy (moist) tennis balls, can lead to a forced or unnatural stroke and as a result arm injuries can occur. The quality of a tennis ball depends on - among other things - the quality of the rubber, the felt layer and the glue used.
Tennis balls pass several quality control checks before being packed in pressurized tubes.
The making of a tennis ball is not as simple a process as you might think. "People are not aware how difficult it is to produce a tennis ball," observed Jason Collins, Wilson’s sporting goods sourcing director, in “Tennis Industry Magazine.” The start-to-finish process, which involves 11 steps and specialized machines, takes a raw material and produces a quality ball with ideal playing characteristics to meet the standards of tennis players worldwide.
Process :
*The process starts with a blend of natural and synthetic rubber.
*Technicians mix special chemicals and powders into the rubber. Machines knead the mixture over and over to make a soft.
*The first machine removes the excess rubber.
*It takes a series of machines and numerous workers to create the core.
*Cutting out and attaching the cover also requires several specialized machines and workers.
*During the press and curing process, the molding press tightly compresses the felt.
Rugby:
A rugby ball is a diamond shape ball used for easier passing.
Richard Lin don in 1880, with two Rugby balls.
Richard Lindon and Bernardo Solano started making balls for Rugby school out of hand stitched, four-panel, leather casings and pigs’ bladders. The rugby ball's distinctive shape is supposedly due to the pig’s bladder, although early balls were more plumb-shape than oval. The balls varied in size in the beginning depending upon how large the pig’s bladder was.
Until 1870, rugby was played with a near spherical ball with an inner-tube made of a pig's bladder.
In 1870 Richard Lindon introduced rubber inner-tubes and because of the pliability of rubber the shape gradually changed from a sphere to an egg. In 1892 the RFU endorsed ovalness as the compulsory shape. The gradual flattening of the ball continued over the years. The introduction of synthetic footballs over the traditional leather balls, in both rugby codes, was originally governed by weather conditions. If the playing surface was wet, the synthetic ball was used, as it didn't absorb water and become heavy. Eventually, the leather balls were phased out completely. Richard Lindon (1816 - 1887) and William Gilbert (1799-1877) started making balls for Rugby school out of hand stitched, four-panel, leather casings and pigs’ bladders. Both men owned boot and shoe making businesses located close to Rugby school. Originally, Gilbert's business was located at 19 High Street and Lindon lived next door as a young man at number 20. The High street led directly to Rugby schools quad entrance which is where the boys played football (quad ball) before Rugby school gained its playing fields.
Batting Gloves:
Batting gloves are a component in baseball sportswear. Typically consisting of a leather palm and back made of nylon or another synthetic fabric, the glove covers one or both hands of a batter, providing comfort, prevention of blisters, warmth, improved grip, and shock absorption when hitting the ball. The use of gloves is not obligatory in any level of the game, but they are considered an essential part of baseball clothing and equipment. Some claim the first player to wear a batting glove was Bobby Thomson of the Giants, who wore golf gloves during spring training in 1949. Others say that Ted Williams was the first to wear a golf glove in batting practice during the summer of 1953, after he returned to the Red Sox from Korea. According to David Cataneo, the veteran sportswriter who wrote I Remember Williams: Anecdotes and Memories of Baseball's Splendid Splinter, Williams' manager, Fred Corcoran, who also managed Sam Snead and Babe Zaharias at that time, was with Williams one day while he was taking an extra batting practice to get back in shape. Corcoran saw the blisters on Williams' hand and pulled out a golf glove and gave it to him to try. Soon, everyone was wearing a golf glove while batting.
The first person to wear a batting glove in a game was Ken "Hawk" Harrelson. Some sources say Harrelson first wore golf gloves while playing for the Kansas City A's in 1964. Others cite a more lyrical and perhaps apocryphal tale, in which Harrelson was with the Red Sox in 1968 and, not expecting to play in a night game, spent the afternoon playing golf. Arriving at the ballpark with blistered hands after shooting 27 holes, he was surprised to find himself in the starting lineup and resorted to wearing golf gloves to protect his sore hands. Rusty Staub was the first to wear the golf gloves on a daily basis.
Batting gloves became an essential and common element of MLB during the early 1980s with Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies spearheading efforts of Franklin Sports to become the choice of the majority of players. Over time Franklin Sports became (and remains today) the official batting glove of Major League Baseball.
The majority of baseball players, at any level of play, wear batting gloves. They are worn because they help increase the quality of the grip on the bat. Maintaining a tight and controlled grip is essential to successful hits. Even the slightest slip or variation in grip can cost the team greatly. They also act as a protector of the hand when one slides into a base. Batting gloves today are even worn by fielders because they say that they feel better in their glove. Another prime use for batting gloves, especially in younger leagues that permit aluminum bats, is shock protection. On a cold day, a bad or loose swing can fracture fingers.
Posted by: Irza Naveed and Sabrina Saad