Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company, specialising in cricket and field hockey equipment, named after the Australian kingfisher. The company notably manufactures the most widely used brand of ball used in One-day internationals and Test cricket.
Video Kookaburra Sport
Introduction
The company was founded in 1890 as A.G. Thompson Pty Ltd by Alfred Grace Thompson, a migrant harness and saddle maker who turned to manufacturing cricket balls when his livelihood was threatened by the advent of the motor car. In the mid-1980s, the company diversified into manufacturing the full range of cricket bats, clothing, footwear and protective equipment.
Maps Kookaburra Sport
Kookaburra today
In addition to its Australian operations, Kookaburra has offices in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh and India.
Kookaburra's Turf Cricket Ball has been used exclusively in Australia, New Zealand and South African Test Cricket since 1946.
The company sponsors a junior cricket tournament called the Kookaburra Cup. It also has endorsement deals with many players including former Australia Captain Ricky Ponting and Martin Guptill of New Zealand.
Current ranges of equipment are Kahuna, Fever, Obsidian, Ghost, XLR8, Blaze and Surge. Previous ranges include Diablo, Genesis, Sword, Ice, Beast and CCX.
Kookaburra also manufacture hockey sticks and equipment which are used by many top international players such Liam De Young, Charlotte Craddock, Madonna Blyth and Marsha Marescia. Flagship stick models include the Phoenix L-Bow and the Dragon M-Bow stick.
The Kookaburra Dimple Elite hockey ball has been used in all Olympic Games since 1984.
Cricket endorsements
The following cricket players have endorsement deals with Kookaburra:
Australia
- Brad Haddin - Kahuna
- Michael Hussey - Onyx
- Peter Siddle - Kahuna
- Nathan Coulter-Nile - Onyx
- Mitchell Starc - Surge
- Nathan Lyon - Ghost
- Glenn Maxwell - Blaze
- Chris Rogers - Onyx
- Ashton Agar - Ghost
- Josh Hazlewood - Ghost
- Usman Khawaja - Kahuna
- Nicole Bolton - Onyx
- Alyssa Healy - Kahuna
- Peter Handscomb - Surge
- James Pattinson - Dynasty
- Alex Carey - Kahuna
England
- Jos Buttler - Blaze
- Liam Dawson - Ghost
- Lydia Greenway - Ghost
- Natalie Sciver - Kahuna
India
- Sanapala Bharath Raj - V Explosive
Radhakishan Damani
New Zealand
- Sophie Devine - Ghost
- Lockie Ferguson - Ghost
- Martin Guptill - Kahuna
- Tom Latham - Blaze
- James Neesham - Dynasty
- Katie Perkins - Onyx
South Africa
- Dean Elgar - Kahuna
- Chris Morris - Ghost
- Simon Harmer - Ghost
- AB De Villiers - Kahuna
Hockey endorsements
The following hockey players have endorsement deals with Kookaburra:
Australia
- Teneal Attard
- Madonna Blyth
- Tristan White
- Liam De Young
New Zealand
- Blair Tarrant
- Bianca Russell
South Africa
- Marsha Cox
England
- Zoe Shipperley
References
- The white ball wonder, Cricinfo, 20 January 2006.
- Watts, Robert: MCC's silly point, The Daily Telegraph, 4 March 2006.
- Cricket Endorsements: Team Kookaburra, Kookaburra Sport Website
- Hockey Endorsements: Team Kookaburra, Kookaburra Sport Website
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia