Kookaburra will investigate the cause of a dodgy batch of balls that has marred the second Test between Australia and New Zealand.

The balls have deteriorated quickly in the ongoing match, with umpires regularly having to intervene and give the bowling side a replacement.

On day one at the WACA, when David Warner was on the attack and en route to a score of 253, the second new ball lasted just three deliveries.

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Vice-captain Warner suggested after day two that the Kookaburras had been “pretty poor” over the past year.

“We will hand the match balls from the Perth Test back to Kookaburra to investigate what the issue may be that is causing the deterioration,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said.

“As with any Test, CA will also collate feedback from the match officials and players.”

A change of ball seemed to impact the game on day three, when Australia had five fruitless overs with the second new ball.

It was then replaced and Josh Hazlewood removed Kane Williamson with the next delivery.

The replacement ball also seemed to be swinging a lot more during the incredible burst of express pace that followed from Mitchell Starc.

“It’s probably the fifth or sixth game we’ve played with Kookaburra balls where we’ve had to actually change them more than once on the field,” Warner said on Saturday.

“It’s actually a bit disappointing because the bowlers like to get into a rhythm (with the same ball).”

NZ paceman Doug Bracewell was puzzled with the situation.

“It’s a pretty hard wicket. They seem to get pretty soft quickly these days,” Bracewell said.

The issue is not unique to Australia.

India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently bemoaned the substandard quality of the SG balls used in his homeland.

“There’s definitely a lot of balls that are going out of shape … at this point of time, I seem to be enjoying the Kookaburra a lot more,” Ashwin said.

In Wellington earlier this year, seven Kookaburras needed to be changed during a Test between NZ and Sri Lanka.

“I’m sure Kookaburra will come up with a fix for it but it is a bit frustrating because ultimately the game is meant to be played with a round ball,” Brendon McCullum said at the time.

“It makes us look like we’re whingeing a bit, but when when it starts to go square it becomes a slightly unfair game.”

– AAP