Balls keep swinging /Dukes boss confident bowlers will get movement in the air
The owner of cricket ball maker Dukes says bowlers should have “no problem” producing swing in England this summer, despite the imminent ban on using saliva.
Based on medical advice to the International Cricket Council, it seems certain that a temporary ban will be put on players spitting or licking their fingers to shine the ball.
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc has warned that children may not want to become bowlers if a lack of movement through the air makes life too easy for batsmen but Chris Woakes suggested last week the swingfriendly Dukes used by the England and Wales Cricket Board could be a saving grace for pacemen.
Dilip Jajodia, owner of the manufacturer, said: “Woakes is absolutely correct, I don’t see swing being a big problem in England.
“You have to have a balance between bat and ball otherwise the game is boring. But it’s not just the shiny surface or the rough side that causes swing, it’s the integrity of the ball.
“With a ball constructed like ours you’ve got a good shape, a strong seam that acts as a rudder through the air and, because it is handstitched, it stays harder for longer. They are not banning the use of sweat so you run your hand over your forehead and, with the nature of the leather, a rigorous polish should get the grease moving enough to give a good shine.”
Australian manufacturers Kookaburra have developed a wax applicator in an attempt to offer a short-term boost to bowlers but Jajodia had a simple word of advice for any seamers looking for extra help.
“These days the kits are polyester but when you want to materials to work for each other they both need to be natural, like the leather of the ball. Think of the great Malcolm Marshall or Angus Fraser, they always had a cotton towel tucked in to their trousers.”