CA has restricted to use sweat:
Cricket Australia (CA) has confined its cricketers to use sweat from the face, head, and neck to shine the ball at the time of the upcoming limited-overs matches to limit the COVID-19 transmission risk.
As per the ICC rules, using saliva on the ball is banned as a health safety measures in the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic. However, still, a player is allowed to use sweat from any place on the body and rub it on the ball.
But Cricket Australia is taking a precautionary approach to minimize any transmission risk of the novel coronavirus. According to the health expert’s advice, the CA has asked its cricketers to not to use sweat from near nose or mouth.
This precaution leaves cricketers with the option of using sweat from their back or stomach area, at the time of the limited-over series against the team England, which is scheduled to be started from 4th September in Southampton.
Mitchell Starc Statement:
The main bowler of the team, Mitchell Starc feels the rule will not have much impact in the white-ball format.
“This regulation will not work much in the limited-overs format. Once the new ball begins to use, you are trying to keep the ball dry anyway. It will work on red-ball cricket.”
Furthermore, he said, “Undoubtedly, we will find out what it is like in these practice matches, and in case we require to rediscuss a couple of plans about it, I am sure that we will have a discussion before the limited-over series gets underway.”
During the series against Pakistan and West Indies, it has seen that team England players were using sweat from their forehead and backs.
Starc said, “According to me, we saw a little bit at the time of the England Test series that Jofra Archer was using some sweat from his back and that kind of thing.”
