British Cricket Balls Limited is a British sports equipment and apparel company, specialising in cricket equipment. The company manufactures the Dukes brand of cricket balls used for playing Test cricket in United Kingdom, the West Indies and Ireland.[1] The company was founded in 1760 by the Dukes family. The company is currently owned by Indian businessman Dilip Jajodia, who acquired it in 1987.
History
The Duke family began hand-manufacturing cricket balls as a cottage industry at Redleaf Hill, Penshurst, Kent, England in 1760 and continuing until 1841.[2] Having gained the Royal patent for the cricket balls in 1775, Duke made the first-ever six-seam cricket ball, which was presented to the then Prince of Wales and used in the 1780 English cricket season. In 1851, Dukes triple-sewn ball won a prize medal at the Great Exhibition and a gold medal at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880.[3]