Balls, balls and more balls. Currently, at least half of the Olympic programme consists of games played with balls of all shapes and sizes. And there may be more to come.

Balls. What would sport do without them? The list of ball games seems endless.

For starters, the following have been played in Olympics past and present or major international sports events all over the world:

Basketball, baseball, softball, football, volleyball, beach volleyball, lawn bowls, tenpin bowling, cricket, croquet, lawn tennis, table tennis, pétanque, rugby, golf, polo, water polo American football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, hurling, hockey, lacrosse, football netball, paddle ball, pelota, racquetball, handball, rounders, sepak takraw, shinty, squash...not forgetting rhythmic gymnastics.

There are many more ball games on the fringe of International competition such teqball, dodgeball, boccia, futsal (a form of five-a-side football), walking football, and would you believe wiffleball (don’t ask!).

But one that puzzles me the most is pickleball.

They say it is sweeping America and now has a firm foothold in Britain. 

I must say I’ve never heard of it until recently. Pickleball? Sounds like a game in which a pickled onion is hit across a kitchen table.

It is rather more serious and complicated than that, but funnily enough it is played in the kitchen!

That is the name given to an area where you are not allowed to volley.

It is a mix of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, using rectangular solid faced paddle shaped bats and a plastic ball with holes in it, rather like those you can practice your golf shots with in the garden.

Pickleball courts, which can be indoors or out, are much smaller versions of tennis courts.

The game can be played as singles or doubles, serving under arm with a ball that does not have as much bounce as a tennis ball.

It has a vocabulary all its own, such as a dink shot which is hitting the ball from your "kitchen" to the other player's kitchen.

Players who are called "picklers" must shout "pickle" before serving.

It is a sport for all ages and levels of fitness. Picklers say it builds muscle strength and endurance .

In the USA, where it originated, there are said to be 5 million players and some 7,000 in the UK, under the auspices of Pickleball England.

It is already on the curriculum in some schools and in 20 David Lloyd Health clubs, with more to follow.

It isn't cheap. A pickleball pedal and ball costs between £28 ($31.74/€32.11) and £175 ($198.33/€200.65) with a starter kit, which includes a net that will set you back up to £300 ($340.04/€343.96). 

Tour sessions at a local club costs between £5 ($5.67/€5.73) and £7 ($7.93/€8.02).

Researchers claim that pickleball strengthens the immune system, helps with hypertension and mental health and improves hand and eye co-ordination.

There is some way to go yet but you can be sure that in the not too distant future, pickleball will be knocking on the door of the International Olympic Committee.

Not for the first time Olympic sport will be in a bit of a pickle. 

Welcome a whole new ball game.