Cricket is in the grip of war, due to bombing ball production in England has stopped, supply of 'Duke ball' has broken, crisis on the county

New Delhi. The impact of the ongoing war in the world is no longer limited to just the borders, but the world of sports has also been affected by it. Cricket in particular, where every little thing can affect the outcome of a match, is now suffering from the lack of one fundamental thing. The situation in England has worsened so much that a big crisis has arisen even before the start of the new domestic season. There is no ball left to play cricket. This may sound strange, but the truth is that an unprecedented challenge is facing us at this time.

The impact of the ongoing war in West Asia is now clearly visible on the cricket world as well. After the players getting stuck and the series being canceled or postponed, it has now had a direct impact on England cricket. While earlier it was believed that there would be major challenges like the pitch or the workload of the players before the domestic season, now a much more serious problem has emerged – the acute shortage of cricket balls. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has severely affected the supply of Dukes balls. The new County Championship season is scheduled to begin on April 3, but just a few weeks before that, England's county clubs are facing a crisis of balls.

Effect of bombing on ball formation

Actually, the process of manufacturing and supplying Dukes balls is quite complex. The leather of the ball is prepared in England, but its stitching is done in the Indian subcontinent. After this, the finished balls are sent back to England by air, which usually passes through the Middle East. This supply chain has now been badly affected due to the war. Shipments have been stuck due to airspace blockage and slowing of freight movement. Many airlines are avoiding flying from this region or are charging heavy fees. According to reports, the cost of transporting a consignment of balls has increased three times and the biggest problem is that delivery is not being done on time. Dilip Jajodia, owner of Dukes ball manufacturing company, has called this situation a “big crisis”. He clearly said that only 50 percent balls will be given to the clubs at the beginning of the season and the rest will be arranged later. We have a lot of stock ready in the factories in the subcontinent, but the airlines are not carrying freight, due to which the entire supply chain has come to a standstill.

What will England Cricket do now?

County teams will start the season with half the number of balls than usual, which is a big challenge for four-day cricket as the ball is changed frequently. This can affect both the quality and strategy of the game. However, alternative routes are being explored, such as sending the shipment through Sri Lanka, but even this is not easy in the current situation. What makes the situation more difficult is the fact that county clubs have refused to use Kookaburra balls since the first trial. Overall, this crisis is becoming not just one of logistics, but affecting the direction and quality of the entire England cricket season.