ICC bans use of saliva to shine a Cricket Ball
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Science & Technology
- Published
19th May, 2020
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- Players are likely to be banned from using saliva to shine the ball by the International Cricket Council.
- The governing body's cricket committee heard medical advice that suggests it is highly unlikely coronavirus can be transmitted through sweat, but there is an elevated risk through saliva.
- Spit-polishing by the bowler or the fielding team has been for decades the accepted method of shining one side of the ball to create the aerodynamic asymmetry which, in conjunction with the position and angle of the seam and the grip and delivery action of the bowler, causes the ball to swing.
- Whether sweat can be as effectively employed as saliva is uncertain but it is likely every swing bowler in the world will be working to find out as the ban on spit-polishing passes through the ICC machinery.
