The Northern Cricket Union is pleased to announce that we have teamed up with cricket solutions provider Cartwrights Sports as our exclusive ball supply partner for the 2024 season. Cartwrights Sports will exclusively provide the renowned Dukes Ball range for use throughout the NCU competitions at all levels.
Cartwrights Sports specialises in supplying a wide range of cricketing and sporting products and provides a specialist and bespoke service to all customers across the UK. Their range of cricket solutions includes full installation and renovation service for artificial wickets, renovation and installation of grass wickets and a wide range of net systems from single to multi-bay systems which include mobile, socketed and freestanding cages as well as a wide range of wooden and metal portable net facilities.
Keith Cartwright, Managing Director of Cartwrights Sports Ltd commented
“Myself and John Kerstens, our representative in Ireland, are delighted to be partnering with the NCU and its Clubs with this new cricket ball supply deal. Clubs in the NCU have been using Dukes balls, supplied by Cartwrights Sports, for many years now and the excellent Dukes range of cricket balls will be the only balls used in NCU competitions from 2024 onwards. It is a logical step, and we are proud that the NCU have chosen us as their partner and look forward to a long and successful partnership. Dukes are the premier range of cricket balls used across the UK”.
NCU Chief Executive Patrick Grimes welcomed the partnership adding
“Cartwrights Sports’ foundations as a family-run dedicated cricket business align perfectly with the values of the NCU. At the start of the process, we sought a supplier and a ball brand that could provide us with guarantees that would support the quality of the game on the field and we believe that we have found that with Cartwrights Sports and Dukes. The multi-year partnership will also see wider benefits to NCU Clubs as they will be able to avail of several exclusive offers across Cartwrights Sports’ wider cricket product range. I would like to thank Keith and John for their support of the NCU and look forward to working with them closely over the next few years”.
The 2024 season will see the standardisation of the balls to be used across the NCU Competitions at all levels. All balls will be manufactured with an NCU Stamp and minimum standards of balls to be used at each level have been agreed upon by the Domestic Directorate and can be found below:
County International- Open Premier League
Match- Open Senior Leagues 1-3; Open Junior League 1
Club Match Men- Open Junior Leagues 2-6
Club Match Women- All Women’s Leagues; Girl’s U15 & 17; Girl’s School Cricket (Year 10 Upwards)
Century- Open Junior League 7 and Below; Boy’s U15 & 17; Recommended for Boy’s School Cricket (Year 10 Upwards)
Tiger- All Youth Cricket (Boy’s & Girl’s) up to and including U13; Recommended for all schools cricket (Boy’s & Girl’s) Years 8 & 9