LAHORE: The quality of locally-manufactured cricket balls being used in the ongoing domestic season has improved considerably, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director domestic cricket Intikhab Alam claimed on Monday.

“In order to improve quality of the balls, the PCB and the manufacturer decided to use imported leather whilst also using modern stitching machines,” Intikhab, a former Pakistan Test captain, told Dawn.

“And so far, the results have been encouraging as only a dozen balls were damaged and sent back to the PCB by the umpires.”

Intikhab added that according to the agreement, the manufacturer will replace the damaged balls.

He added: “The use of imported leather has increased the cost of the ball by almost hundred percent but it’s still very less compared to the cost of the Australian-made ball which is in use in other cricket-playing countries.”

The cost of a ball manufactured by imported leather was Rs2,500 as compared to Rs1,250 for one made with local leather. The Australian-made ball, meanwhile, costs Rs25,000.

“The quality of the new ball is close to the ball made abroad,” Intikhab remarked, adding that the local industry would also be promoted once the ball gets more positive results.

Intikhab said that a few shortcomings in the new ball had been spotted but they would “be removed before the next domestic season”.

“As the new ball only went into production seven months back, the manufacturers didn’t have sufficient time to dry up the ball fully,” he said, “... but in the next season, the balls would be made well before the start of the season.”

He informed that the ICC had no specific instructions for using a particular ball and the PCB would try using the new ball in Tests as well.

To a question, Intikhab disclosed that the chronic problem of Karachi’s National Stadium — the shortage of water — has also been resolved as the venue has now got direct connection from the KWSB.

For the last fifty years, the PCB had been purchasing water tanks but now the stadium would not only get sufficient water but it would also reduce the cost.

Intikhab added that they are also resolving the drainage problem here at the Gaddafi Stadium as the government of Punjab has begun digging wells in and around it, which would help remove rain water quickly.

Published in Dawn December 2nd , 2014