England’s favourite ball back for Ashes

England’s bowlers will be armed with last season’s dukes ball during the ashes amid concerns that the new batch used in the county game have been too batsman-friendly.

Sportsmail revealed last month that the ECB had all but run out of their 2018 batch, which have a more prominent seam than the 2019 version. at that point, it seemed certain England would have to regain the urn by bowling australia out using a less helpful ball and on the flat pitches seen around the country so far this year.

But following conversations with senior England players, including captain Joe Root and the new-ball pair of Jimmy anderson and stuart Broad, managing director ashley giles revealed that the board had commissioned the production of 500-600 balls of the 2018 vintage for use during the six Tests against Ireland and australia. The move will cost the ECB around £30,000-£40,000.

‘It was a pretty easy decision,’ said giles. ‘ It’s about a fair contest. My concern was this season’s ball would make conditions too batter- friendly on good Test wickets in the middle of the summer.

‘We think the 2019 ball has evened out the balance between bat and ball in county cricket. However, to maintain that balance on Test pitches, we think the 2018 specification ball is going to be a better one. That’s why we’ve gone with it.’ The decision will come as a relief to the England dressing room after two summers in which ball has generally held sway over bat. since the start of the 2017 summer, England have conceded only one total above 363 in 28 home innings. across the same period overseas, that figure rises to five instances from 23.

But giles denied that the move was aimed simply at improving England’s chances of beating australia.

‘People will say that,’ said giles. ‘What we didn’t want is to appear like we’re doing this underhandedly. We’ve spoken to Cricket australia and Cricket Ireland. It’s not as if we’re playing against an attack that’s not very good. The aussies are quite handy themselves. There are elements of risk to it.

‘Jimmy anderson is clearly one of our best weapons. We want to bring him into the game, but whether this does it specifically is another matter.’

The news is said to have been greeted calmly by Cricket australia, whose players should at least be accustomed to the ball they will face on the first day of the ashes, at Edgbaston on august 1.

after their fourth successive ashes defeat in England, in 2015, the australian board decided to use dukes balls in their domestic four- day sheffield shield rather than the customary Kookaburra.