Sydney: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has asked for foreign substance like 'shining wax', if no saliva is allowed, to shine the ball so as to keep the contest even between bat and ball.
Speaking from Sydney on Tuesday, Starc said cricket risks becoming 'pretty boring' if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decision to temporarily ban using saliva on the cricket ball is implemented.
"Needs to be a maintaining of the even contests, so.... I understand what you are saying with foreign substances and the like. It's pretty grey area, or not a grey area, it's black and white in terms of that. But it's an unusual time for the world,” Starc said.
File image of Mitchell Starc“And if they're going to remove, I guess, saliva shining for a portion of time, then they need to think of something else for that portion of time as well, whether be the wickets being not as flat or having at least considering this shining wax to a degree. There needs to be some thought in that I think," he added.
The ICC decided to enforce a temporary ban on using saliva on the ball after receiving medical advice that players' spit may pose a COVID-19 transmission risk.
Use of saliva on the match ball is an age-old practice in cricket. It helps bowlers get reverse swing, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.
The ICC also expressed their reluctance in allowing the use of foreign substances to alter the condition of the ball.
Interestingly, Australian ball manufacturer Kookaburra has developed a wax applicator that would allow balls to be shined without using sweat or saliva.
According to a report, Kookaburra has been busy working on a compound that would help bowlers avoid becoming disadvantaged in a post-coronavirus context and it will be ready to use within a month.
"The most effective mitigating action to avoid risk would be to introduce a temporary ban on the traditional shining method. This could be immediately introduced, enabling cricket to resume as soon as it is safe," Kookaburra managing director Brett Elliott said.
"We've been working on a product to replace the traditional methods of polishing a ball that could be controlled and managed by the match umpire; we have developed a unique wax formula for polishing a cricket ball."
According to Elliot, a pocket-size sponge applicator would enable umpires or players to apply a thin layer of wax which could then be rubbed and polished to enhance the shine on the ball.
