The document reproduced above may seem obscure, but we have received the following explanation:
On a business trip to India in October 1988 I decided to enquire about the cost of Indian cricket balls for the Club. I made my way by taxi to the Pioneer Sports Co. (the Delhi equivalent of Lillywhites). After examining a dozen of their cheaper balls and finding none of them to be round, I asked to see a sample of their best quality ball. Having been assured by the head-wobbling assistant that this was the best ball they had, and that it was used for international matches, I decided to buy a dozen for the Mariners.
At the start of the ’89 season I proudly produced my pukka Indian balls. Sadly it wasn’t long into the season before they started coming in for major criticism from both sides.
I can vividly remember games stopping for consultation with the umpires on the shape of the ball and the failure of the stitching, and verbal comments from all parts of the field of “Oh, not another of Ant’s bloody Indian balls!”
A.P.H. July 1997
(Perhaps we can understand why the Pioneer Sports Co. `states positively on the invoice —- “No Refunds”. Ed.)