Will saliva ban affect the pace bowling?
Gulf News experts discuss the pros and cons and also the new rule changes.
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#cricketnews #icc #cricketball
Gulf News experts discuss the pros and cons and also the new rule changes.
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV
#cricketnews #icc #cricketball
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00:00Welcome to another episode of Gulf News Chat Show.
00:03Here we are going to discuss one of the key points that has happened in the last couple
00:08of days, which is going to come into force on October 1st.
00:12That is the major rule changes announced by the ICC, the International Cricket Council.
00:17And the prominent among them is the use of saliva.
00:21Saliva has been a part and parcel of cricket because that's how the bowlers get that advantage.
00:28They shine the ball one side and makes it a level playing field for the bowlers under
00:33testing conditions.
00:35But what was an experimental process where due to COVID, the saliva was not used.
00:41So the alternative was the sweat.
00:43Sweat has become mandatory.
00:45If you use saliva, you'll be penalized.
00:47So we are going to discuss about that, as well as the other rule changes that has come
00:51into force.
00:52First, let me bring in to you Ashfaq, who has been a fast bowler himself.
00:57And Sadiq.
00:58Ashfaq is the Assistant Editor of Gulf News.
01:00And Sadiq is our Opinion Editor.
01:01And they play cricket regularly.
01:03Ashfaq, tell me, as a fast bowler, do you think it is going to help you or is it going
01:07to be detrimental to your bowling?
01:10Satish, thank you so much.
01:13Very interesting rule.
01:14It came into force like a couple of years ago, but when the COVID hit.
01:18But I think bowlers are kind of used to it now.
01:21But it definitely is a disadvantage to bowlers, though it's disgusting to use saliva on the
01:25ball and then rub it and then again ball is on the ground and then you again pick it
01:29up and use the saliva.
01:31I think it's also good for hygiene purposes.
01:34But I would say that best men will take advantage of this because this is fast bowlers' weapon
01:43to use saliva, to use sweat.
01:45But they still can use sweat.
01:48But it makes the ball one side heavier, doesn't it, if you use sweat?
01:52If you use sweat, it makes the ball one side heavier.
01:54You shine from that side when you're using the sweat and keep the other side rough.
01:59So this helps.
02:00This helps in swinging the ball because the ball swings with the shine.
02:07So that's definitely an advantage for best men, a disadvantage for bowlers.
02:12They have to find some new ways.
02:14But most importantly, you come from Pakistan and I know Pakistan has been some of the greatest
02:20fast bowlers used the reverse swing to the best effect by shining one side and using
02:26the rough to the other side.
02:27Now with the ball becoming heavier, do you think it's going to arrest the reverse swing
02:33as the ball gets older, maybe after 30 overs, 40 overs?
02:36That's when the bowlers become more lethal at that point of time.
02:39What do you think?
02:40Absolutely.
02:41But it will be fine.
02:43I think it will not make a big difference because after 20 overs, 30 overs, the ball
02:47automatically becomes quite rough.
02:49And if you keep the shine on one side, the other side is rough, and by 20-30 overs, bowlers
02:55have enough sweating as well because you are in the field for 20-30 overs and you are running
02:59around and you have enough sweat.
03:00So they can still do it.
03:03I think it won't be that much difference after 20-30 overs in reverse swing.
03:09The bowler should be fine if they know how to do it.
03:13If they are Vakarjunas or Vaseem Akram, they can do it.
03:17Sadiq, as a spinner, off spinner, the one-side shine and with the Salewa, it makes it easier
03:24because the ball is equal on both sides.
03:26But now when the sweat comes into play, where there is slightly more heaviness on one side,
03:34so isn't it good for you to use the drift of the ball to get the ball out and bring
03:38the ball in after that?
03:41It should help the spinners, isn't it?
03:43It should help the spinners, ideally, Satish.
03:45Thank you very much for asking that very pertinent question.
03:47But also at the same time, applying Salewa on the ball has been there with cricket and
03:52cricketers for a very long time.
03:54As spinners also, we used to shine the ball on one side so that the ball would dip more
03:58as you would understand yourself.
04:00So that's going to take a little bit of adjusting.
04:03I think it will take some time for bowlers and spinners especially to get used to the
04:09sweat.
04:10I know it's been in works for the last couple of years, but again, the ability to shine
04:17the ball with sweat on one side, I think it did give the bowlers a level playing field
04:24in a sense.
04:25Because as Ashfaq was just pointing out, batsmen might use this to their advantage.
04:31So does it mean going forward that cricket is going to be more orientated or let's say
04:36more advantageous to the batsmen?
04:38It has always been.
04:40And now you take something away from bowlers, especially fast bowlers, but spinners as well
04:46as you understand yourself.
04:47People like Bhaji and others, they always use Salewa to shine to their advantage.
04:52So yes, I think personally it is going to impact.
04:55And if you ask me as a cricketer, I'm not for it.
04:58But since it has been brought in by the ICC, I think we'll all abide by it.
05:02Having said that, what was also happening is by using Salewa, where you use your sweet
05:07toffee or something, you add a little extra layer.
05:11So some kind of cheating was there.
05:13Cheating or I wouldn't say some extra advantage the players were taking, because Salewa when
05:19it's sweet, then it adds a little extra layer and it makes it even more difficult for the
05:24batter.
05:25So I think that is taken out of the equation, isn't it, Ashfaq?
05:27Absolutely this is your right spot on the stage.
05:30Because some bowlers, most of the bowlers, they use chewing gum as well.
05:34If you're having chewing gum, your saliva becomes heavier because of the sweet.
05:37And when you use that saliva on the ball, it becomes heavier.
05:42So that gives them advantage.
05:43Either you stop them from chewing gum or…
05:46That's too much.
05:47That's too much because it's not possible.
05:51So this is good actually.
05:54And I would say…
05:57But Ashfaq, coming to that one bit, we can also apply some sunscreen and all that.
06:03So that can also add a little extra shine in that sense.
06:06But is there any ruling on that?
06:08There's nothing on that.
06:10You have given them the idea now.
06:14But I think bowlers are quite smart because when the ball is new, you see, they don't
06:22use sweat or saliva because it's a new ball and the shine is on both sides.
06:26So now it's the bowler's job to know how to use the seam.
06:31If they know how to use the seam, it will not make much difference.
06:35But Satish here, I had a counter question for you.
06:37For instance, there are different playing conditions.
06:39Playing in the subcontinent isn't the same as playing in England or Australia for that
06:43matter.
06:44So in the subcontinent, obviously, it's hotter conditions, the players tend to sweat
06:48more and it helps there.
06:50But what about, for instance, in…
06:52See, actually, I know what you're asking about two things.
06:55One, in places like England or these cooler conditions, New Zealand, when the conditions
07:02are slightly favorable, which is cooler basically, you don't really need to worry about the
07:08condition of the ball because number one, it doesn't deteriorate so much.
07:11And secondly, always there is a moisture in there and it starts swinging any time of the
07:15day.
07:16So you really don't, yes, the seam, the shine, keeping one side shiny is always there,
07:23but it comes in more predominant once it comes into the subcontinent wickets because
07:27that's where the ball goes through a bit of a wear and tear much faster.
07:32And that's when, after 30 overs, it really becomes really, really rough at one side and
07:37then the shine keeps it fairly decent on the other side and that's when you start using
07:42the reverse.
07:43Yes, to coming to your question, the sweat is not…
07:47You don't need a bucket full of sweat.
07:49You just need probably like a little few drops of sweat, which makes it more like…
07:53And what happens is every ball, when the ball pitches, most of the time when it hits the
07:57seam, you don't get a mark on that.
07:59But only when it's not hitting the seam on the side when it hits, you get a small, probably
08:04this size of a mark, which needs about probably one drop of sweat or two drops of sweat to
08:09rub it and then you start shining it and then that is gone and then it retains the shine
08:15after that.
08:16So, just to add to your thing, playing to Sadiq's question, when you're playing in
08:21England or Australia, wickets are green, it's windy and you get a lot of advantage because
08:27they're fast, fast bowler friendly, but when you're playing in the subcontinent, wickets
08:31are slow.
08:32That's when the bowler, fast bowlers, use the roughness to get, otherwise it's batting
08:37friendly wickets.
08:38Right.
08:39That's when the reverse swing was invented by these greats because they want to do something
08:46on these wickets.
08:47So, that gives them added advantage to keep the ball rough on one side and keep it shining
08:53on the other side.
08:54So, that gives them advantage.
08:55Yeah, I mean, just to take it forward, yeah, once there is a bit of a grass on the wicket,
09:00the moment the ball hits the wicket turf, it can move because it assists there, whereas
09:07on a flat wicket, it's like a cement wicket where there is no grip on the ball, it just
09:12skids off the wicket.
09:13If it's a little sandy, that can at least help the bowlers to cut the ball and get the
09:20cutters in.
09:21Right.
09:22And that's when, when they're trying to cut the ball, the reverse swing comes into play
09:24and that helps them.
09:26But if it's a just plain batting surface, flat wicket, then I think it becomes a bowler's
09:32graveyard.
09:33So, it becomes very difficult for them to get anything out of it and the batsmen keep
09:38playing them and it makes it easier for the batsmen to play around it.
09:43But then here's the question, having played, you know, you played first class cricket yourself,
09:49don't you think, for instance, this rule when there's no saliva on the ball, wouldn't it
09:53change the aerodynamics of the ball itself?
09:56It does.
09:57See, what happens is like, again, if you look at each ball is a different texture.
10:02If you look at the white ball, white ball is a different texture from the red ball.
10:06The pink ball is even different.
10:08So again, the color of the paint, the surface, what they're using, everything makes each
10:13ball different.
10:14Yes, saliva was in place because when we started, it was more about sweat.
10:21And then when the ball technology changed, the saliva became more friendly than the sweat
10:27because it didn't add weight to the ball.
10:31So it makes it, you know, like the balance was perfect.
10:36So now, I think the last two years when the aerodynamics have changed, that's why I think
10:41the bowlers must have got used to that.
10:43But still, there is a slight disadvantage to the bowlers at this point of time, because
10:50yes, the balance is not perfect.
10:53There is this little imbalance.
10:54Precisely the point I was trying to come to.
10:56That imbalance, if you use it well, you can, once the ball is rough on one side and the
11:01shine is on the other side, you can use it to your advantage by bringing the reverse
11:05swing.
11:06For that, you need to perfect that art of reverse swing, as well as you need to bowl
11:11at a good pace to get the reverse swing generally, because otherwise, the reverse swing, even
11:16if it happens, it won't really, you know, like catch the batman by surprise.
11:20And Pakistan seems to have a good reserve of fast bowlers.
11:24Bowlers still watch Waseem Akram and Waqar Yunus' videos to learn how to do the reverse
11:28swing.
11:29The toe crushers.
11:30The king of swing.
11:31But Satish, in these new rules, there is one advantage for the bowlers as well.
11:37Because when the batsmen get catch out, and even if they cross the crease, the new batsmen
11:42will face the bowlers.
11:43That's the advantage.
11:44See, that's one thing, which, you know, like, in Test cricket especially, when you're looking
11:50at the tailenders, what happens is, when there is a shot, we run and then, you know, like
11:56somehow, the good batsmen cross over and we can get strike.
12:00But that will not happen anymore when the new rule changes, where, when the batsman
12:04is out, you take one run, two runs, three runs, it doesn't matter, the new batsman has
12:09to take strike.
12:10So, that's a big change as well.
12:12How do you see that change?
12:13That's what I mean.
12:14It's a fair change.
12:16Because just like the way you get caught out or bowled, this, that, when the ball is taken,
12:22the catch is taken, the batsman used to take advantage of the situation.
12:26But I think the rule is fair in this sense, where the striker is out and the new striker
12:30comes in.
12:31Unless it's a run out, where, you know, like, you're out and the non-striker in, the new
12:35striker takes strike is the right approach.
12:38I think that's, that's been addressed.
12:40In the fairness of things.
12:41Yes.
12:42And another big thing is, now the players do not have to worry about man-cutting a player,
12:46because that's become legal now.
12:48If a man-cut out is done, I don't think even people, the bowler needs to want the non-striker,
12:53because he should know the rule by now.
12:57It's a run out straight away.
12:58So that's a pretty good rule, because, as we all talk, the game is loaded in favor of
13:04the batman.
13:05That's because batman gets only one chance.
13:07The one mistake he makes, he's out.
13:10But now, with this, at least some, because he can't take unfair advantage, he can't go
13:17for a quick single, he has to be within the crease.
13:19So that's a pretty good rule as well.
13:22And another one is, Ashfaq, we discussed it, the fielding position.
13:27Fielding position, yes.
13:28Yeah, you can't change, like, sometimes what happens is, the fielders can be altered during
13:34the, once a, as a batman.
13:36When the bowler starts running.
13:37Yeah, as a batman, you see where the players are, where the fielders are.
13:40The positioning is, yeah.
13:41Because you create a mental picture.
13:44So that you play that field, and then you play advantage of that.
13:47You want a hit, you want to play a quick single, or you want to go for two.
13:52So you make your own plan every ball, that's how the batman starts up every delivery, before
13:57he takes strike.
13:58Now, if there is any alteration after the bowler takes a run up, and that is penalized
14:03with five runs, penalty runs.
14:06That's pretty good as well.
14:07That's a good rule, yeah.
14:08Good rule.
14:09And the other major point, I think, is the overrate.
14:13Overrate earlier, when the team bowls slowly, they will be penalized some, 10% of the match
14:20fee, 15% of the match fee, 50% of the match fee.
14:23But that didn't have any impact on the outcome of the game.
14:28But the recent experimentation with the T20, where I think even Asia Cup it happened, where
14:34if they're given an allocated time, you need to finish the over at this hour.
14:39If you're one over short by the time the, that timer closes down, cutoff time is over,
14:47then you have to add one extra fielder inside the 30 yard circle.
14:51That makes it, gives the bowling team a disadvantage, because obviously the batting team can take
14:57advantage of the one extra fielder.
14:59Now, that has been even brought into the ODAs as well.
15:03It's not just T20, even the ODAs also has been brought in.
15:06So, some of the pretty good changes there.
15:09Another thing to make the game faster, I think they, now the best man has to be in the crease
15:13after the best man get out within two minutes.
15:16In one day, in one day, and it is cricket.
15:18And in T20, it's 1.90 second.
15:21They have to reach the crease within 1.90 seconds.
15:23Just from the dressing rooms.
15:25Yes.
15:26And if you don't reach, then you can be timed out.
15:28There is another, nine ways a batsman can get out, like you're bowled, caught, stumped,
15:34run out, munkered out, or whatever.
15:37This is called hit wicket, handling the ball, and hitting the ball twice, because hitting
15:42the ball twice is when there is a catch going to the fielder.
15:45You hit the ball again, and make sure that the ball doesn't go to the, hitting the ball
15:51twice, obstructing the fielder.
15:53So there are many ways to get out, and this is something called timed out, where you don't
15:58reach the crease within that particular stipulated time, you can be out.
16:01Vish, I think overall, these rules were overdue.
16:04I think it's good for the game, it will make the game interesting, and faster.
16:09Yeah, true.
16:10Yeah, especially in the modern day and age, where, you know, everyone's...
16:13I think what happens is, maybe the ball companies, the manufacturing companies also might change
16:18the structure of the leather to soothe the sweat, instead of the saliva.
16:23So there will be some changes happening, but all together, I think it's pretty good, and
16:28it also...
16:29Fast bowlers will have to work harder now, anyway.
16:33On this note, we close the chat show with Gulf News, thanks for watching it, and please
16:39do follow us on all the social media channels.
16:42Thanks, Vaishwag.
16:43Thanks, Arik.
16:45Thank you very much.