Use sweat to shine cricket ball: ICC

London: The ICC Cricket Committee headed by Anil Kumble has banned saliva use to shine the ball. The decision has been taken as the Kumble-led Cricket Committee had a meeting via conference call that addressed issues like maintaining the condition of the match ball.

The ICC says changes to regulations have been brought in to “to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus and protect the safety of players and match officials”.

With regards to the saliva ban, the Cricket Committee acted on ICC Medical Advisory Committee chair Dr. Peter Harcourt’s advice.

The regulation to ban saliva to shine the ball has been put in place because spitting on the ball elevates the risk of virus transmission. The World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory says: “COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes.”

The ICC Cricket Committee unanimously agreed to enforce the ban. Players can use sweat to polish the ball.

“The committee also noted the medical advice that it is highly unlikely that the virus can be transmitted through sweat and saw no need to prohibit the use of sweat to polish the ball whilst recommending that enhanced hygiene measures are implemented on and around the playing field,” says the ICC release.

This is in accordance with the guidelines issued by WHO and the Johns Hopkins University. Both omit sweat as a transmitting agent of the virus.