New Delhi [India]: Former New Zealand captain Tim Southee and ex-South African pacer Vernon Philander have extended their support to India’s star fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who recently urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to lift the ban on using saliva to polish the ball. Shami’s request aims to revive reverse swing in limited-overs cricket, as per a report by ESPNCricinfo.
Shami’s appeal came after his impressive performance against Australia, where he took three crucial wickets, conceding 48 runs. The ban on saliva was initially introduced as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 but was made permanent in September 2022.
“We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed. We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting,” Shami said after the match.
Southee, speaking on ESPN Cricinfo’s Match Day programme during the New Zealand vs South Africa semifinal, supported Shami’s stance.
“That was a rule brought around COVID-19, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage. We see the game going the way it is, with teams scoring over 300 regularly. I do not see why they could not afford to get that [saliva] back in,” said Southee.
Philander also highlighted the importance of saliva for reverse swing, especially in batting-friendly conditions, referring to the NZ-SA semifinal where South Africa posted a massive 362/6.
“If you used saliva to polish one side of the ball, the element of reverse swing might have come into play. I would like to see that element being brought back into the game, especially in ODI cricket where batters are really dominating,” Philander remarked.
Both Southee and Philander agreed that the ban impacts Test cricket more significantly due to the prolonged nature of the game and the need for reverse swing to balance the contest between bat and ball. They emphasized that saliva is more effective than sweat in maintaining the ball’s shine, particularly in hot and humid conditions where controlling sweat is challenging.
Philander explained the preference for saliva over sweat:
“Saliva was definitely the preferred method of shining the ball. In the longer run, I would like to see that being brought back. Sweat makes it difficult to control the shine, especially when playing in hot, humid conditions,” he said.
The call for lifting the saliva ban has reignited a debate within the cricket community about finding a fair balance between bat and ball in modern cricket, particularly in limited-overs formats.