Jason Gillespie: "It could be a point where at the end of each over, the umpires allow the players to shine the ball in front of them but you can only do it then"
Monday 20 April 2020 09:42, UK
Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie reckons the process for keeping one side of the cricket ball shiny to help produce swing could change following the coronavirus pandemic.
The practice of maintaining a cricket ball is usually achieved through sweat and saliva.
Former Australia seamer Gillespie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: "I don't think it's a quirky question. It's an actual genuine thing to be considered. I don't think anything is off the table.
"It could be a point where at the end of each over, the umpires allow the players to shine the ball in front of them but you can only do it then.
"I don't know. Is it just sweat? Can you only use sweat? I don't have an answer to that but it certainly will be a conversation that will be had.
"If you think about it, it is pretty gross."
Current Australia quick Josh Hazlewood said: "I think the white ball would be fine, [but] Test cricket would be very hard. Bowlers rely on any sort of sideways movement in the air.
"If you didn't maintain the ball at all for 80 overs it would be quite easy to bat after that initial shine has gone.
"Whether you use saliva or sweat, maybe one person can do it. I'm not sure.
"It's something that will have to be talked about when we get back out there and hopefully come up with a solution."
