SYDNEY: Australian paceman Mitchell Starc warned on Tuesday that cricket risks becoming ‘pretty boring’ if ball-tampering rules are not relaxed in response to a coronavirus-linked ban on using saliva to shine the ball.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to implement the ban in June after receiving medical advice that spit poses a Covid-19 transmission risk.

Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.

Starc said swinging the ball in such a manner was a crucial part of the contest between bowler and batsman.

“We don’t want to lose that or make it less even, so there needs to be something in place to keep that ball swinging,” he told reporters in an online press conference. “In Australia in the last couple of years we’ve had some pretty flat wickets, and if that ball’s going straight it’s a pretty boring contest.”

Anil Kumble, chairman of the ICC cricket committee, said this week that the saliva ban was only intended to be a temporary measure during the coronavirus crisis.

The former Indian Test spinner suggested cricket regulators did not want to open the door to using foreign substances to alter the condition of the ball.

Starc said he understood such reluctance, given the clear rules that exist against ball tampering. But he said if bowlers were disadvantaged by a saliva ban, they should be given more leeway elsewhere.

The 30-year-old said ground staff could be ordered not to produce batsman-friendly flat wickets, or ball-tampering rules could be changed allowing a substance such as wax could be applied to the ball.

“It’s an unusual time for the world and if they’re going to remove saliva shining for a portion of time they need to think of something else for that portion of time as well,” he said. “Either with the wickets not being as flat or at least considering this shining wax.

“Kids aren’t going to want to be bowlers because as we saw in Australia over the last couple of years, there were some pretty flat wickets and if that ball’s going straight, it’s a pretty boring contest,” he said.

Australian cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra is developing a wax applicator that allows players to shine the ball without using saliva.

Cricketers have used the age-old method of shining one side of the ball with a combination of saliva and sweat to help bowlers generate more movement in the air as it travels towards the batsman.

However, as part of efforts aimed at minimizing the risk of spreading the virus, the governing body’s cricket committee has recommended the ban on using spit.

“We have been very critical and we have been very focused on eliminating any external substances coming into the game,” Kumble said on Star Sports’ Cricket Connected. “This is only an interim measure and as long as we have hopefully control over Covid-19 in a few months or a year’s time then I think things will go back to as normal as it can be.”

Australia quick Pat Cummins has said cricket’s lawmakers should approve the use of an artificial substance to shine the ball if the ban on saliva was enacted, while compatriot Josh Hazlewood has said it would difficult to police such a ban.

Meanwhile, Starc has never been a huge fan of the pink ball but would welcome the prospect of bowling it against India in a day-night Test over the home summer.

India declined Australia’s offer to play a day-night Test during their last tour in 2018-19 but board president Sourav Ganguly said in February they had agreed to one in the upcoming four-test series.

“I think absolutely a pink ball Test in this series against India is a great thing,” Starc remarked. “The fans love it; it creates a different aspect of the contest. I think bat and ball are a lot closer together.

“India have obviously played a pink ball Test at home so they’re not completely foreign to it. I guess in terms of the advantage if you like, we do have a good record at home with the pink ball. It’s no different to us going to India and they’ve got the advantage there.”

Australia have won all seven day-night Tests they have played and Starc’s prowess with the pink ball has been key.

Though wary of it encroaching on traditional red-ball day Tests, Starc has taken 42 wickets at an average of 19.23 with the pink ball against an average of 26.97 in all Tests.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020