This is part of a description of a cricket game. The ball is red, so it was compared to a cherry, which is also red. "brand" in the expression "brand new" means something like "absolutely", "very".

Bulls are (supposedly) angered by anything red which is waved before them. In bullfighting a red cape is used for the purpose of encouraging them to charge forward.

So the player charged at the red ball in the ferocious manner that an angry bull might charge at a red cloth.

OK?

I thank CalifJim and Pedantic for the replies.

However, I didn't expect CalfJim to know about the cricket. Do you know why? Americans don't know about cricket. Almost all Americans I met were clueless as to cricket. I played cricket so I know everything about cricket.

Regarding the red colour ball used in cricket, I must tell you that things have changed. Now they allow white colour balls to use in one-day cricket. It is still red colour ball and white colour dress in test cricket. In one-day interantionals, you will see vivid colour dresses too.

Now they benefit of modern technology. By having a third umpire with a TV screen, stumping and runouts are decided by the third umpire in case of uncertainity.

No local umpires are allowed in test cricket. Let us say England play Austrailia either on British soil or Austrailien soil, the two field umpires have to come from other countries. Even the match referee should come from another country. These things are good to maintain fair play.

As pedantic says it is a curious simile.