Marnus and Kookaburra Extend Partnership

The hottest batsman in world cricket will continue to use the best equipment in world cricket with Marnus Labuschagne re-signing as an ambassador with Kookaburra Sport.

Labuschagne’s remarkable role in helping Australia retain the Ashes launched an ascension to batting royalty in 2019, entering the Boxing Day Test as the highest run scorer in Test cricket for the year and number 5 on the ICC Test batting rankings. This Australian summer, he has scored centuries in each of the three Tests.

Labuschagne is becoming renowned for his obsession with bats in cricket circles, and indeed he works with Kookaburra closer than any other player in the world.

“I love cricket bats, and I’m very particular about them. They call me the hurricane when I go to the Kookaburra factory because I test out almost every bat in the place, and a big clean up job is always needed afterwards!” Labuschagne said.

“Kookaburra’s bat maker Lachlan Dinger and I spend hours talking about ideas for my bats, and then he comes up with the goods every time – I get the best bats in the world.”

“I’ve been with Kookaburra since my teens and it’s great that the partnership will continue with me using the Kookaburra Ghost, which is perfect for my style.”

Kookaburra is thrilled to have a player of Labuschagne’s quality and character as an ambassador. “Marnus is a great role model for all aspiring cricketers. He works hard at his game, he’s humble but still has a wide-eyed enthusiasm for cricket,” Kookaburra Sport Managing Director Brett Elliot said.

“His development over the last twelve months to become a superstar of world cricket has been spectacular but something we are not surprised at given what we’ve seen from him since he first joined us as an 16 year-old.”

“His interest and involvement in the bat-making process as well as input on everything in his bag, makes him the perfect ambassador for Kookaburra and his advice and feedback helps us maintain our position as making the best cricket equipment, clothing and footwear in the world. We are proud to say our product is built for cricketers, by cricketers.”

The story of Labuschagne’s meteoric rise in 2019 is rivalled only by his journey to the Baggy Green. Born in South Africa and moving to Australia when he was ten years old, cricket literally broke down the language barrier for a child that predominantly spoke Afrikaans.

Welcome to Team Kookaburra Sanju Samson!

A new era for Kookaburra’s global cricket brand starts this week when Sanju Samson will become the first India-capped IPL star to use the famous Kookaburra bat.

Samson will be using the Kookaburra Kahuna bat and Kookaburra wicket-keeping gloves and pads as part of his new brand ambassador role.

24-year old Samson, who hails from Kerala, has been a player of promise in Indian cricket since playing for the Indian Under-19 team but it’s been over the last two IPL seasons, in his second stint with the Rajasthan Royals, that his star has risen.

Samson’s career went to a new level last week with his astonishing 102 not out from 55 balls against SunRisers Hyderabad. This was the first century of IPL 2019 and was Samson’s second century in his IPL career. He joins legendary trio Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay as the only Indian batsman to have scored more than one IPL century.

Rajasthan teammate and fellow Kookaburra ambassador Jos Buttler this week welcomed Samson to Team Kookaburra, declaring him as a player to watch:

“Welcome to the Kookaburra family Sanju Samson - an absolute superstar in the making,” Buttler said.

Samson says that the Kookaburra brand is one that he always aspired to:

“I’ve always wanted to play with the Kookaburra brand. I saw my idols like AB De Villiers and Kumar Sangakkara use it when I was growing up, and now I see my own Rajasthan teammate Jos Buttler using it,” Samson said.

“I’m very happy to be with Kookaburra and think we’ll have a great partnership.”

Kookaburra was established in 1890 and is the world leader in cricket balls. Test, ODI and Twenty20 balls are hand-crafted in its Melbourne factory, but in recent years there has been a new focus in India.

“In 2014 we opened a manufacturing facility in India. This has taken one hundred - plus years of knowledge from making cricket balls in Australia to India, so we can now make balls for grassroots cricket in India. This complements our role as the official ball supplier to the IPL,” Kookaburra Managing Director Brett Elliot said.  

“Having Sanju Samson, one of the rising stars of the IPL, coming on board as a brand ambassador is another sign of our commitment to India.”

Barring injury Sanju Samson will first use the Kookaburra Kahuna in the IPL on Tuesday April 7 against Kolkata Knight Riders.