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Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has taken issue with the ICC cricket committee’s proposal of banning the use of saliva to shine cricket balls.
The committee, chaired by former India skipper Anil Kumble, proposed to the ICC’s executive committee that saliva is high-risk with the current Covid-19 pandemic in mind.
And Hazlewood doesn't believe the ICC will be able to make sure that players aren't using saliva as you cannot always have eyes on every player on the field.
"I’d like saliva to be used, obviously, but if that’s what they’ve put forward, I guess everyone is playing the same game," he told the Australian Daily Telegraph.
"Once it comes back to you as a bowler, it’s second nature to just give it a little touch up if you see something, and that’s going to be hard to stop to be honest. And it’s a tough thing to monitor for sure. Sweat probably makes [the ball] a bit wetter if that makes sense. Makes it a bit heavier."
Furthermore, the 29-year-old doesn't believe sweat is an adequate replacement in terms of getting the ball to swing.
"I think you’ll use very small amounts because people have sweaty hands anyway, and it gets on the ball. I don’t think this will have as big an impact as what people think," he added.
