<p>Australian paceman Mitchell Starc warned 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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.</p>.<p>Starc said swinging the ball in such a manner was a crucial part of the contest between bowler and batsman.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"Otherwise people aren't going to be watching it and kids aren't going to want to be bowlers.</p>.<p>"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."</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Starc said he understood such reluctance, given the clear rules that exist against ball tampering.</p>.<p>But he said if bowlers were disadvantaged by a saliva ban, they should be given more leeway elsewhere.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"(Either) with the wickets not being as flat or at least considering this shining wax."</p>.<p>Australian cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra is developing a wax applicator that allows players to shine the ball without using saliva.</p>
<p>Australian paceman Mitchell Starc warned 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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.</p>.<p>Starc said swinging the ball in such a manner was a crucial part of the contest between bowler and batsman.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"Otherwise people aren't going to be watching it and kids aren't going to want to be bowlers.</p>.<p>"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."</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Starc said he understood such reluctance, given the clear rules that exist against ball tampering.</p>.<p>But he said if bowlers were disadvantaged by a saliva ban, they should be given more leeway elsewhere.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"(Either) with the wickets not being as flat or at least considering this shining wax."</p>.<p>Australian cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra is developing a wax applicator that allows players to shine the ball without using saliva.</p>