The International Cricket Council has prohibited players from using saliva to polish the ball. It will have an impact on spin bowlers’ ability to grip the ball.The ICC announced a number of modifications to its playing conditions on September 20, 2022, and those changes will take effect on October 1. One of those changes includes a permanent ban on the use of saliva to polish the ball.
The prohibition has been in place in international cricket for over two years as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19. The ICC considered it “appropriate for the ban to be made permanent” from October 1.
Other Amendments made by ICC:
- The other significant change is that an incoming batter in Tests and ODIs will now need to be prepared to take a strike within two minutes, although the current T20Is requirement of 90 seconds will stay in place.
- Among the other changes, the striker’s right to play the ball has also been introduced. “This is restricted so as to require some part of their bat or person to remain within the pitch. Should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal Dead ball. Any ball which would force the batter to leave the pitch will also be called No ball,” the ICC said in a statement.
- Now, in addition to calling the ball dead, any unfair or intentional movement made while the bowler is running into bowl could result in the umpire assigning the batting side five penalty runs.
- The Playing Conditions follow the Laws in moving this method of effecting a run out from the ‘Unfair Play’ section to the ‘run out’ section.
- Previously, a bowler might throw the ball to try to run out the striker if they noticed the batter advancing down the wicket before he began their delivery stride.This practice will be called “dead ball.”
Other major decisions:
The in-match penalty introduced in T20Is in January 2022, will now also be adopted in ODI matches after the completion of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023.
