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yesterday

Dukes Warns Counties to Expect Half Allotment of Balls as Gulf Conflict Snarls Air Freight

Blocked Gulf routes have stalled shipments in South Asia, driving air‑freight quotes to roughly $15 per kilo before the 3 April county start.

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English counties will start the domestic season with only half the number of balls they require for the summer, with the conflict in the Middle-East disrupting the supply chain of Dukes balls.
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Overview

  • British Cricket Balls (Dukes) says counties will initially receive about 50% of their usual stock, describing a major supply crisis.
  • The company links the shortfall to a freight logjam caused by the Middle East war, with rates reported up from about $5/kg to $15/kg and finished balls stuck in South Asia.
  • The ECB counters that professional counties have received the number of balls they normally would and says there is no issue for England’s Tests later in the summer.
  • Dukes is exploring expensive workarounds such as routing via Sri Lanka or chartering flights and is absorbing higher transport costs for now.
  • Fallback options are limited after the Kookaburra trial ended for 2026, with roughly 4,000–5,000 Dukes needed each summer and the County Championship starting on 3 April.