 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1890; 135 years ago (1890) |
| Founder | Alfred Grace Thompson |
| Headquarters | Moorabbin,Melbourne,Australia |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | |
| Website | kookaburrasport |
Kookaburra Sport Pty Ltd (or simplyKookaburra) is an Australiansports equipment and apparel company based inMelbourne,Australia. The company was founded in 1890 and specialises in manufacturing various equipment used forAustralian rules football,cricket, andfield hockey.[1] The company is named after the Australian birdKookaburra. The company manufactures the whiteball used in allOne-day andT20 international matches and the red ball used inTest cricket inAustralia,New Zealand,South Africa,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh, andZimbabwe.
The company was founded in 1890 by Alfred Grace Thompson, a migrant harness andsaddle maker fromUnited Kingdom. Thompson migrated fromScotland and started manufacturing cricket balls when his livelihood was threatened by the reduction in demand forhorse carriages due to theadvent of the motor car.[2] The company was founded inBrighton before moving to its current location inMoorabbin on the outskirts ofMelbourne,Australia. In the mid-1980s, the company diversified into manufacturing the full range of cricket bats, clothing, footwear and protective equipment.[3]
The company manufacturesclothing and equipment includingbats,balls,stumps, and other equipment.[4] The company manufactures the whiteball used in allOne-day internationals matches, and the pink and red balls used inTest cricket inAustralia,New Zealand,South Africa,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh, andZimbabwe.[5] The ball is machine-stitched with the seam fading quickly and the thin seam makes it difficult for finger spinners to grip the ball.[6]The company also produces a range ofcricket equipment, such as bats, helmets, pads, gloves, and others. The Kookaburra bats are known for being some of the best worldwide and are often used by Australian greats such asGlenn Maxwell,Brett Lee,Tim Paine, andMarnus Labuschagne
Kookaburrahockey balls have been used in allOlympic Games since 1956 andworld cup matches since 1984. The company also manufactureshockey sticks and balls forAustralian rules football.[7]
