Duke ball is favouring Pakistan’s seam attack in England: Experts
The Pakistan cricket team, after equaling the home series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 with a historic 3-wicket victory at Leeds, is now gearing to face England as visitors at Nottingham. News channels are abuzz with Pakistan’s lethal bowling attack that bundled Australia out for just 88 runs in the first innings of the Leeds Test.
Cricket experts are hopeful that the duke cricket ball would favour Pakistan’s seam attack under favourable English conditions.
Salman Butt, who was given the charge of the team after Afridi’s retirement from test cricket, led the side to a historic Test victory against Australia. The newly appointed captain added that the English conditions were kept in mind before using the duke cricket ball.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163 added, "Our bowlers are more comfortable bowling with the Duke Ball and the conditions also suit them which is they are more successful in England.”
Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir has also praised the efforts of the Pakistani bowlers in England. He said that it is the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Duke-c54717 ball that is making the difference in England. While comparing the duke and kookaburra balls, Qadir added that the former ball is made up of hard leather while the later is a softer one. This is the reason why the kookaburra ball has a less prominent seam as compared to the duke ball. Qadir said that the hard leather of the duke cricket ball along with a prominent seam is helping the visitors to swing and seam the ball.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Aaqib-Javed-c41431, Saqlain clarified that these fast bowlers used to destroy the opposition on English tracks as well.
Pakistan’s domestic cricket uses gray’s and duke cricket balls which is why Pakistan’s bowlers are more comfortable in bowling with it as against the kookaburra ball. The prominent seam of the duke ball allows more seam movement and swing to the bowlers.
Another former Test bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz has also agreed with Salman’s viewpoint. He explained that the reason behind Pakistan’s success in England was the usage of the duke ball in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. The experience has helped Pakistan’s seamers spark under ideal English conditions.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319 has also said that the duke ball suits Pakistani bowlers more as compared to the other one used in many countries. Moin said that duke ball swings a lot under English conditions. However, the former captain insisted that a lot also depends on how well the bowler exploits the bowler friendly English conditions. He said that the duke ball would definitely be a help but at the end of the day, it would be how efficiently a bowler has exploited the conditions.
Former Pakistani greats have unanimously asked the ICC to formulate a law regarding the brand of the ball in order to make sure that all member countries use the same brand in international matches. The former bowlers from Pakistan claimed that when all the countries use the same ball in international matches, there would be no extra advantage for any team.
Tags: