Finshots Daily

A vegan cricket ball that lasts 50 overs?

10 snips
Feb 5, 2026
A look inside how traditional leather cricket balls are handcrafted and held to strict standards. Exploration of a new vegan synthetic ball that claims 50-over durability and why academies might pay more. The episode examines environmental pressure on leather supply and how mechanised synthetic production could threaten cottage-industry livelihoods.
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ANECDOTE

Handcrafted Ball Making

  • Making a cricket ball is a multistep, handcrafted process that can take up to 90 minutes per ball.
  • Finshots Daily Host describes leather cups, cork cores and six rows of stitching as tightly controlled artisanal work.
INSIGHT

Why Leather Mattered For Performance

  • Leather has historically been essential because its interaction with the core and stitching creates swing and bounce.
  • The leather cover also provides the grip and durability bowlers and fielders depend on.
INSIGHT

Super 50: A Vegan Match-Grade Ball

  • SG developed the Super 50, a patented vegan-leather ball claimed to last at least 50 overs and retain shape for a full match.
  • PETA India awarded SG for this innovation, highlighting its potential to replace leather in some settings.
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