<P> White balls were introduced when one - day matches began being played at night under floodlights , as they are more visible at night ; all professional one - day matches are now played with white balls , even when they are not played at night . The white balls have been found to behave differently to the red balls , most notably that they swing a lot more during the first half of an innings than the red ball , and that they deteriorate more quickly . Manufacturers claim that white and red balls are manufactured using the same methods and materials , other than the dying treatment of the leather . Another problem associated with white cricket balls used in One Day Internationals is that they quickly become dirty or dull in colour , which makes it more difficult for batsmen to sight the ball after 30 - 40 overs of use . Since October 2012 , this has been managed by the use of two new white balls in each innings , with a different ball used from each bowling end ; the same strategy was used in the 1992 and 1996 Cricket World Cups . Between October 2007 and October 2012 , the issue had been managed using one new ball from the start of the innings , then swapping it at the end of the 34th over with a `` reconditioned ball '' , which was neither new nor too dirty to see . Before October 2007 , except during 1992 and 1996 World Cups , only one ball was used during an innings of an ODI and it was the umpires discretion to change the ball if it was difficult to see . </P>
<P> White balls were introduced when one - day matches began being played at night under floodlights , as they are more visible at night ; all professional one - day matches are now played with white balls , even when they are not played at night . The white balls have been found to behave differently to the red balls , most notably that they swing a lot more during the first half of an innings than the red ball , and that they deteriorate more quickly . Manufacturers claim that white and red balls are manufactured using the same methods and materials , other than the dying treatment of the leather . Another problem associated with white cricket balls used in One Day Internationals is that they quickly become dirty or dull in colour , which makes it more difficult for batsmen to sight the ball after 30 - 40 overs of use . Since October 2012 , this has been managed by the use of two new white balls in each innings , with a different ball used from each bowling end ; the same strategy was used in the 1992 and 1996 Cricket World Cups . Between October 2007 and October 2012 , the issue had been managed using one new ball from the start of the innings , then swapping it at the end of the 34th over with a `` reconditioned ball '' , which was neither new nor too dirty to see . Before October 2007 , except during 1992 and 1996 World Cups , only one ball was used during an innings of an ODI and it was the umpires discretion to change the ball if it was difficult to see . </P>
when was the white ball first used in cricket
when was the white ball first used in cricket
when one - day matches began being played at night under floodlights
when one - day matches began being played at night under floodlights