Kumble-led ICC committee advises restriction on saliva due to COVID-19 pandemic

NEW DELHI: The Anil Kumble-led ICC Cricket Committee on Monday recommended banning making use of saliva to shine the ball owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout a meeting over a video conference, the committee also promoted reviving two non-neutral umpires for all internationals matches.

” We are enduring amazing times and the suggestions the committee made today are interim steps to enable us to securely resume cricket in such a way that maintains the essence of our game,” Kumble stated in an ICC release.

The use of saliva to shine the cricket ball, specifically in the red-ball format, is mainly implied for swing bowling but the practice is now being seen as a health danger.

As the ICC last month pondered banning making use of saliva as a safety measure in what is anticipated to be a really different world, it has throw the floor open for a fierce dispute in the cricket community.

Only time will tell just how much of an imbalance between the bat and ball will the whole thing cause but quick bowing greats such as Michael Holding and Waqar Younis have actually currently expressed their aversion to the concept.

Another notable point discussed in the conference was re-introduction of 2 non-neutral umpires in bilateral series for the time being.

The recommendations will be put before the ICC Board for ratification.