Dukes manufacturer backs Woakes and says ball will swing
THE OWNER of ball manufacturer Dukes says bowlers should have “no problem” producing swing in England this summer, despite the imminent ban on using saliva.
After recommendations from the International Cricket Council’s medical advisory committee it seems certain that a temporary restriction will be placed on players using the traditional method of spitting or licking their fingers to shine up the ball when the sport resumes.
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc has warned that children may not want to become bowlers if a lack of movement through the air made life for batsmen too easy, but Chris Woakes suggested last week the swing-friendly Dukes used by the England and Wales Cricket Board could be a saving grace for pacemen on these shores.
Now Dilip Jajodia, owner of the manufacturer, has offered his reassurance.
“Woakes is absolutely correct, I don’t see swing being a big problem in England,” insisted Jajodia.
“You have to have a balance between bat and ball otherwise the game is boring, we know that. But it’s not just the shiny surface or the rough side that causes swing, it’s the integrity of the ball.
“You don’t have to worry because 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 hand-stitched, 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 two materials to work for each other they both need to be natural, like the leather of the ball,” he added.
“Think of the great Malcolm Marshall or Angus Fraser, they always had a cotton towel tucked in to their trousers.
“This summer more than any other that is what people should be using.”
The sporting shutdown came at a dreadful time for what is essentially a seasonal trade, but Jajodia remains confident that a business which dates back to the 18th century is ready to ride this difficult period.
“If next year they still aren’t allowing amateur sport then we really would be up the Khyber Pass. There would have to be a subsidy from somewhere otherwise we won’t be around anymore,” he said.
“But we have a strong balance sheet, no borrowings and with our reputation I’m confident we will not need to resort to any outside assistance.”
■ Former Gloucestershire captain Tony Brown has died at the age of 83, his former county have announced.
All-rounder Brown spent 23 years as a player at Bristol, leading the club to the Gillette Cup in 1973, when he scored an unbeaten 73 in the final at Lord’s.
As well as taking 1,223 firstclass wickets and scoring 12,681 runs, Brown was also an excellent fielder and his seven catches in an innings at Trent Bridge remains a joint record.
Brown’s 489 first-class appearances for Gloucestershire put him seventh on the club’s all-time list and he moved into administration after retiring from playing, serving as secretary of Gloucestershire and Somerset as well as managing an England tour of India and Australia in 1984-85.
He was chairman of cricket at Gloucestershire from 1999-2007 and president between 2008-2011.