ICC imposes ban on use of saliva to shine cricket balls

Gulf News

Will saliva ban affect the pace bowling? Gulf News experts discuss the pros and cons and also the new rule changes.  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #cricketnews #icc #cricketball

Transcript

00:00Welcome to another episode of Gulf News Chat Show.

00:03Here we are going to discuss one of the key points that has happened in the last couple

00:08of days, which is going to come into force on October 1st.

00:12That is the major rule changes announced by the ICC, the International Cricket Council.

00:17And the prominent among them is the use of saliva.

00:21Saliva has been a part and parcel of cricket because that's how the bowlers get that advantage.

00:28They shine the ball one side and makes it a level playing field for the bowlers under

00:33testing conditions.

00:35But what was an experimental process where due to COVID, the saliva was not used.

00:41So the alternative was the sweat.

00:43Sweat has become mandatory.

00:45If you use saliva, you'll be penalized.

00:47So we are going to discuss about that, as well as the other rule changes that has come

00:51into force.

00:52First, let me bring in to you Ashfaq, who has been a fast bowler himself.

00:57And Sadiq.

00:58Ashfaq is the Assistant Editor of Gulf News.

01:00And Sadiq is our Opinion Editor.

01:01And they play cricket regularly.

01:03Ashfaq, tell me, as a fast bowler, do you think it is going to help you or is it going

01:07to be detrimental to your bowling?

01:10Satish, thank you so much.

01:13Very interesting rule.

01:14It came into force like a couple of years ago, but when the COVID hit.

01:18But I think bowlers are kind of used to it now.

01:21But it definitely is a disadvantage to bowlers, though it's disgusting to use saliva on the

01:25ball and then rub it and then again ball is on the ground and then you again pick it

01:29up and use the saliva.

01:31I think it's also good for hygiene purposes.

01:34But I would say that best men will take advantage of this because this is fast bowlers' weapon

01:43to use saliva, to use sweat.

01:45But they still can use sweat.

01:48But it makes the ball one side heavier, doesn't it, if you use sweat?

01:52If you use sweat, it makes the ball one side heavier.

01:54You shine from that side when you're using the sweat and keep the other side rough.

01:59So this helps.

02:00This helps in swinging the ball because the ball swings with the shine.

02:07So that's definitely an advantage for best men, a disadvantage for bowlers.

02:12They have to find some new ways.

02:14But most importantly, you come from Pakistan and I know Pakistan has been some of the greatest

02:20fast bowlers used the reverse swing to the best effect by shining one side and using

02:26the rough to the other side.

02:27Now with the ball becoming heavier, do you think it's going to arrest the reverse swing

02:33as the ball gets older, maybe after 30 overs, 40 overs?

02:36That's when the bowlers become more lethal at that point of time.

02:39What do you think?

02:40Absolutely.

02:41But it will be fine.

02:43I think it will not make a big difference because after 20 overs, 30 overs, the ball

02:47automatically becomes quite rough.

02:49And if you keep the shine on one side, the other side is rough, and by 20-30 overs, bowlers

02:55have enough sweating as well because you are in the field for 20-30 overs and you are running

02:59around and you have enough sweat.

03:00So they can still do it.

03:03I think it won't be that much difference after 20-30 overs in reverse swing.

03:09The bowler should be fine if they know how to do it.

03:13If they are Vakarjunas or Vaseem Akram, they can do it.

03:17Sadiq, as a spinner, off spinner, the one-side shine and with the Salewa, it makes it easier

03:24because the ball is equal on both sides.

03:26But now when the sweat comes into play, where there is slightly more heaviness on one side,

03:34so isn't it good for you to use the drift of the ball to get the ball out and bring

03:38the ball in after that?

03:41It should help the spinners, isn't it?

03:43It should help the spinners, ideally, Satish.

03:45Thank you very much for asking that very pertinent question.

03:47But also at the same time, applying Salewa on the ball has been there with cricket and

03:52cricketers for a very long time.

03:54As spinners also, we used to shine the ball on one side so that the ball would dip more

03:58as you would understand yourself.

04:00So that's going to take a little bit of adjusting.

04:03I think it will take some time for bowlers and spinners especially to get used to the

04:09sweat.

04:10I know it's been in works for the last couple of years, but again, the ability to shine

04:17the ball with sweat on one side, I think it did give the bowlers a level playing field

04:24in a sense.

04:25Because as Ashfaq was just pointing out, batsmen might use this to their advantage.

04:31So does it mean going forward that cricket is going to be more orientated or let's say

04:36more advantageous to the batsmen?

04:38It has always been.

04:40And now you take something away from bowlers, especially fast bowlers, but spinners as well

04:46as you understand yourself.

04:47People like Bhaji and others, they always use Salewa to shine to their advantage.

04:52So yes, I think personally it is going to impact.

04:55And if you ask me as a cricketer, I'm not for it.

04:58But since it has been brought in by the ICC, I think we'll all abide by it.

05:02Having said that, what was also happening is by using Salewa, where you use your sweet

05:07toffee or something, you add a little extra layer.

05:11So some kind of cheating was there.

05:13Cheating or I wouldn't say some extra advantage the players were taking, because Salewa when

05:19it's sweet, then it adds a little extra layer and it makes it even more difficult for the

05:24batter.

05:25So I think that is taken out of the equation, isn't it, Ashfaq?

05:27Absolutely this is your right spot on the stage.

05:30Because some bowlers, most of the bowlers, they use chewing gum as well.

05:34If you're having chewing gum, your saliva becomes heavier because of the sweet.

05:37And when you use that saliva on the ball, it becomes heavier.

05:42So that gives them advantage.

05:43Either you stop them from chewing gum or…

05:46That's too much.

05:47That's too much because it's not possible.

05:51So this is good actually.

05:54And I would say…

05:57But Ashfaq, coming to that one bit, we can also apply some sunscreen and all that.

06:03So that can also add a little extra shine in that sense.

06:06But is there any ruling on that?

06:08There's nothing on that.

06:10You have given them the idea now.

06:14But I think bowlers are quite smart because when the ball is new, you see, they don't

06:22use sweat or saliva because it's a new ball and the shine is on both sides.

06:26So now it's the bowler's job to know how to use the seam.

06:31If they know how to use the seam, it will not make much difference.

06:35But Satish here, I had a counter question for you.

06:37For instance, there are different playing conditions.

06:39Playing in the subcontinent isn't the same as playing in England or Australia for that

06:43matter.

06:44So in the subcontinent, obviously, it's hotter conditions, the players tend to sweat

06:48more and it helps there.

06:50But what about, for instance, in…

06:52See, actually, I know what you're asking about two things.

06:55One, in places like England or these cooler conditions, New Zealand, when the conditions

07:02are slightly favorable, which is cooler basically, you don't really need to worry about the

07:08condition of the ball because number one, it doesn't deteriorate so much.

07:11And secondly, always there is a moisture in there and it starts swinging any time of the

07:15day.

07:16So you really don't, yes, the seam, the shine, keeping one side shiny is always there,

07:23but it comes in more predominant once it comes into the subcontinent wickets because

07:27that's where the ball goes through a bit of a wear and tear much faster.

07:32And that's when, after 30 overs, it really becomes really, really rough at one side and

07:37then the shine keeps it fairly decent on the other side and that's when you start using

07:42the reverse.

07:43Yes, to coming to your question, the sweat is not…

07:47You don't need a bucket full of sweat.

07:49You just need probably like a little few drops of sweat, which makes it more like…

07:53And what happens is every ball, when the ball pitches, most of the time when it hits the

07:57seam, you don't get a mark on that.

07:59But only when it's not hitting the seam on the side when it hits, you get a small, probably

08:04this size of a mark, which needs about probably one drop of sweat or two drops of sweat to

08:09rub it and then you start shining it and then that is gone and then it retains the shine

08:15after that.

08:16So, just to add to your thing, playing to Sadiq's question, when you're playing in

08:21England or Australia, wickets are green, it's windy and you get a lot of advantage because

08:27they're fast, fast bowler friendly, but when you're playing in the subcontinent, wickets

08:31are slow.

08:32That's when the bowler, fast bowlers, use the roughness to get, otherwise it's batting

08:37friendly wickets.

08:38Right.

08:39That's when the reverse swing was invented by these greats because they want to do something

08:46on these wickets.

08:47So, that gives them added advantage to keep the ball rough on one side and keep it shining

08:53on the other side.

08:54So, that gives them advantage.

08:55Yeah, I mean, just to take it forward, yeah, once there is a bit of a grass on the wicket,

09:00the moment the ball hits the wicket turf, it can move because it assists there, whereas

09:07on a flat wicket, it's like a cement wicket where there is no grip on the ball, it just

09:12skids off the wicket.

09:13If it's a little sandy, that can at least help the bowlers to cut the ball and get the

09:20cutters in.

09:21Right.

09:22And that's when, when they're trying to cut the ball, the reverse swing comes into play

09:24and that helps them.

09:26But if it's a just plain batting surface, flat wicket, then I think it becomes a bowler's

09:32graveyard.

09:33So, it becomes very difficult for them to get anything out of it and the batsmen keep

09:38playing them and it makes it easier for the batsmen to play around it.

09:43But then here's the question, having played, you know, you played first class cricket yourself,

09:49don't you think, for instance, this rule when there's no saliva on the ball, wouldn't it

09:53change the aerodynamics of the ball itself?

09:56It does.

09:57See, what happens is like, again, if you look at each ball is a different texture.

10:02If you look at the white ball, white ball is a different texture from the red ball.

10:06The pink ball is even different.

10:08So again, the color of the paint, the surface, what they're using, everything makes each

10:13ball different.

10:14Yes, saliva was in place because when we started, it was more about sweat.

10:21And then when the ball technology changed, the saliva became more friendly than the sweat

10:27because it didn't add weight to the ball.

10:31So it makes it, you know, like the balance was perfect.

10:36So now, I think the last two years when the aerodynamics have changed, that's why I think

10:41the bowlers must have got used to that.

10:43But still, there is a slight disadvantage to the bowlers at this point of time, because

10:50yes, the balance is not perfect.

10:53There is this little imbalance.

10:54Precisely the point I was trying to come to.

10:56That imbalance, if you use it well, you can, once the ball is rough on one side and the

11:01shine is on the other side, you can use it to your advantage by bringing the reverse

11:05swing.

11:06For that, you need to perfect that art of reverse swing, as well as you need to bowl

11:11at a good pace to get the reverse swing generally, because otherwise, the reverse swing, even

11:16if it happens, it won't really, you know, like catch the batman by surprise.

11:20And Pakistan seems to have a good reserve of fast bowlers.

11:24Bowlers still watch Waseem Akram and Waqar Yunus' videos to learn how to do the reverse

11:28swing.

11:29The toe crushers.

11:30The king of swing.

11:31But Satish, in these new rules, there is one advantage for the bowlers as well.

11:37Because when the batsmen get catch out, and even if they cross the crease, the new batsmen

11:42will face the bowlers.

11:43That's the advantage.

11:44See, that's one thing, which, you know, like, in Test cricket especially, when you're looking

11:50at the tailenders, what happens is, when there is a shot, we run and then, you know, like

11:56somehow, the good batsmen cross over and we can get strike.

12:00But that will not happen anymore when the new rule changes, where, when the batsman

12:04is out, you take one run, two runs, three runs, it doesn't matter, the new batsman has

12:09to take strike.

12:10So, that's a big change as well.

12:12How do you see that change?

12:13That's what I mean.

12:14It's a fair change.

12:16Because just like the way you get caught out or bowled, this, that, when the ball is taken,

12:22the catch is taken, the batsman used to take advantage of the situation.

12:26But I think the rule is fair in this sense, where the striker is out and the new striker

12:30comes in.

12:31Unless it's a run out, where, you know, like, you're out and the non-striker in, the new

12:35striker takes strike is the right approach.

12:38I think that's, that's been addressed.

12:40In the fairness of things.

12:41Yes.

12:42And another big thing is, now the players do not have to worry about man-cutting a player,

12:46because that's become legal now.

12:48If a man-cut out is done, I don't think even people, the bowler needs to want the non-striker,

12:53because he should know the rule by now.

12:57It's a run out straight away.

12:58So that's a pretty good rule, because, as we all talk, the game is loaded in favor of

13:04the batman.

13:05That's because batman gets only one chance.

13:07The one mistake he makes, he's out.

13:10But now, with this, at least some, because he can't take unfair advantage, he can't go

13:17for a quick single, he has to be within the crease.

13:19So that's a pretty good rule as well.

13:22And another one is, Ashfaq, we discussed it, the fielding position.

13:27Fielding position, yes.

13:28Yeah, you can't change, like, sometimes what happens is, the fielders can be altered during

13:34the, once a, as a batman.

13:36When the bowler starts running.

13:37Yeah, as a batman, you see where the players are, where the fielders are.

13:40The positioning is, yeah.

13:41Because you create a mental picture.

13:44So that you play that field, and then you play advantage of that.

13:47You want a hit, you want to play a quick single, or you want to go for two.

13:52So you make your own plan every ball, that's how the batman starts up every delivery, before

13:57he takes strike.

13:58Now, if there is any alteration after the bowler takes a run up, and that is penalized

14:03with five runs, penalty runs.

14:06That's pretty good as well.

14:07That's a good rule, yeah.

14:08Good rule.

14:09And the other major point, I think, is the overrate.

14:13Overrate earlier, when the team bowls slowly, they will be penalized some, 10% of the match

14:20fee, 15% of the match fee, 50% of the match fee.

14:23But that didn't have any impact on the outcome of the game.

14:28But the recent experimentation with the T20, where I think even Asia Cup it happened, where

14:34if they're given an allocated time, you need to finish the over at this hour.

14:39If you're one over short by the time the, that timer closes down, cutoff time is over,

14:47then you have to add one extra fielder inside the 30 yard circle.

14:51That makes it, gives the bowling team a disadvantage, because obviously the batting team can take

14:57advantage of the one extra fielder.

14:59Now, that has been even brought into the ODAs as well.

15:03It's not just T20, even the ODAs also has been brought in.

15:06So, some of the pretty good changes there.

15:09Another thing to make the game faster, I think they, now the best man has to be in the crease

15:13after the best man get out within two minutes.

15:16In one day, in one day, and it is cricket.

15:18And in T20, it's 1.90 second.

15:21They have to reach the crease within 1.90 seconds.

15:23Just from the dressing rooms.

15:25Yes.

15:26And if you don't reach, then you can be timed out.

15:28There is another, nine ways a batsman can get out, like you're bowled, caught, stumped,

15:34run out, munkered out, or whatever.

15:37This is called hit wicket, handling the ball, and hitting the ball twice, because hitting

15:42the ball twice is when there is a catch going to the fielder.

15:45You hit the ball again, and make sure that the ball doesn't go to the, hitting the ball

15:51twice, obstructing the fielder.

15:53So there are many ways to get out, and this is something called timed out, where you don't

15:58reach the crease within that particular stipulated time, you can be out.

16:01Vish, I think overall, these rules were overdue.

16:04I think it's good for the game, it will make the game interesting, and faster.

16:09Yeah, true.

16:10Yeah, especially in the modern day and age, where, you know, everyone's...

16:13I think what happens is, maybe the ball companies, the manufacturing companies also might change

16:18the structure of the leather to soothe the sweat, instead of the saliva.

16:23So there will be some changes happening, but all together, I think it's pretty good, and

16:28it also...

16:29Fast bowlers will have to work harder now, anyway.

16:33On this note, we close the chat show with Gulf News, thanks for watching it, and please

16:39do follow us on all the social media channels.

16:42Thanks, Vaishwag.

16:43Thanks, Arik.

16:45Thank you very much.

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