Dubai: Greg Chappell, the Australian cricket guru, feels that the saliva ban will not have much effect on his country’s fast bowlers as none of them are big swingers of the ball and largely rely on pace and bounce.
“None of them are big swingers of the ball. Starc might get some reverse swing but by and large it’s the pace and bounce, I don’t think we’ll notice a huge difference, to be honest,” said the former Australia captain.
Speaking in an interview with Sydney Morning herald, Chappell felt that bowlers will now resort to use of sweat to shine the ball. “If they’re wiping perspiration from their forehead, there’s sunscreen there. If they’re using saliva, they’ve probably been chewing something, so what’s in that?” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s that big a deal. Perspiration will be the equal of saliva. I don’t see the difference, to be honest,” he added.
Chappell, who had a stint as India coach between 2005 and 2007, further said artificial wax, as being developed by Kookaburra, won’t be needed by the bowlers to shine the ball.
“Bowlers are inventive enough. If they can get perspiration on the ball, they’ll get shine, they’ll be able to preserve the ball unless it’s a real hard, abrasive wicket,” Chappell said.
“You’ve only got to keep enough shine on the ball, and perspiration will do that. I think it’s a bloody storm in a teacup myself,” he added.
According to new ICC rules, if a player does apply saliva to the ball, the umpires will manage the situation with some leniency during an initial period of adjustment for the players but subsequent instances will result in the team receiving a warning.
A team can be issued up to two warnings per innings but repeated use of saliva on the ball will result in a 5-run penalty to the batting side. Whenever saliva is applied to the ball, the umpires will be instructed to clean the ball before play recommences.
International cricket, which has been on a halt since March following the outbreak of coronavirus, will resume with the three-Test series between England and West Indies from July 8, where all the matches will be played behind closed doors in “bio-secure environment”.
