U.S.-based sporting goods company Rawlings announced its official expansion into cricket with the signing of Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke to a multi-year endorsement deal. Clarke will travel to the U.S. in April to collaborate with Rawlings' product management team on the development of his signature fielders' glove line, set to debut globally later this year. Rawlings Brand Marketing Senior Dir Kurt Hunzeker said, "Cricket and baseball share many game-related characteristics, with fielding as a primary pillar in both sports. With that in mind, Rawlings' expansion into cricket is a logical next step." Rawlings has seen sales increases of fielders' gloves the last three years in cricket-centric markets such as India, South Africa and Australia. The deal continues Rawlings' push into the int'l marketplace. In January, Rawlings signed a three-year deal with the Australian Baseball League and Baseball Australia. Last month, Rawlings announced its new partnership with the Chinese Baseball Association (Rawlings).
