New Ball and Old Ball in Cricket Explained

The New Ball in Cricket

At the start of each innings, the fielding team uses a new cricket ball — a hard, shiny sphere that behaves predictably and assists swing and seam bowling. In Test cricket, the ball is 156 grams (5.5 oz) with a raised seam. In the first 20 to 25 overs, the new ball's lacquer preserves shine on one side, creating aerodynamic pressure differentials that generate conventional swing — the primary weapon of opening fast bowlers in English and New Zealand conditions. The new ball also has a harder seam that bites the pitch surface, producing seam movement.

How the Ball Ages

As the ball is bowled over and over, it gradually loses its lacquer, the seam softens, and one side begins to roughen from contact with the outfield and the pitch. By 30 to 40 overs, the ball is typically softer and swings less conventionally. The fielding team (by agreement with the batting team's footwork on the outfield) and natural wear govern how the ball ages. Teams try to maintain one side's shine by polishing it with sweat and the natural oils from players' skin while letting the opposite side roughen.

Taking the Second New Ball

In Test cricket, the fielding side can take a second new ball after 80 overs of play. This decision requires tactical judgement. The new ball is harder and will bounce higher and swing more conventionally — but the batting team has had 80 overs to build a platform, and taking the new ball early can remove the reverse swing potential of the old ball if it was generating movement. Captains typically take the new ball when quick wickets are needed and pace bowlers are fresh; they delay it when a spinner is bowling well through the rough, or when the old ball is reversing dangerously.