County Cricket faces ball shortage as Middle East conflict disrupts Dukes supply

The United Kingdom is currently facing a shortage of professional cricket balls ahead of the upcoming English summer. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has disrupted key supply chains, affecting the manufacturing and transport of Dukes balls.

The County Championship is set to begin on April 3 with 18 teams. However, officials are dealing with a major logistical challenge as there aren’t enough balls available for four-day matches, where regular replacements are required.

We’ve Got a Major Crisis Right Now - Dilip Jajodia on Dukes Ball Shortage

Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, spoke about the manufacturing crisis. He said that the leather is prepared in Chesterfield, while the stitching is done in the subcontinent before the balls are shipped back via Middle Eastern routes.

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"We’ve got a major crisis right now with this bloody Gulf War nonsense. We’ve got to ration clubs by giving them 50 per cent of their balls at the start of the season and then manage the problem. We’ve got plenty of stuff in the factories in the subcontinent ready to go, but the airlines are not taking the freight because there’s a logjam," Jajodia told the Daily Mail.

With international airspace disrupted and freight movement slowing, shipments have piled up overseas. Airlines are avoiding conflict zones or charging heavy premiums to operate, causing major delivery delays and sharply increasing transportation costs for the manufacturer ahead of the season.

Most of the Stuff Goes Through the Middle East - Dilip Jajodia on Dukes Supply Disruptions

The financial impact has been severe for the Dukes manufacturer. Dilip Jajodia revealed that the cost of transporting a box of 120 cricket balls has almost tripled due to the ongoing conflict. Limited cargo flights and disrupted routes have significantly increased expenses and caused major delays in deliveries.

"The rates have gone up too. A box of 120 cricket balls would be charged normally by airlines at about $5 a kilo. The last quote I got was $15 a kilo. Most of the stuff goes through the Middle East, but if you’ve suddenly got rockets flying around, you’ve got a major problem," he explained further.

To prevent a major disruption, the company is taking on the extra transport costs for now. They are also looking at alternate shipping routes from the subcontinent, including sending consignments via Sri Lanka and even using private courier flights to avoid delays.

Dukes Manufacturer Addresses Ball Quality Concerns

Dilip Jajodia also responded to criticism about the Dukes balls during the recent Test series against India. Players had raised concerns about the balls losing shape quickly, which led to frequent changes during matches on flat tracks.

He admitted that the core in some earlier batches was slightly loose but confirmed that the issue has now been fixed. The company has strengthened the internal structure to ensure the ball holds its shape better, even under heavy impact.

Following these improvements, ball changes reduced significantly in the latter half of the Lord’s Test and the remainder of the series. The ECB has also introduced a centralized system to ensure every venue has a proper supply of well-prepared replacement balls going forward.

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