England’s premier ball manufacturing company’s managing director assures the bowlers who are worried about not being able to generate swing by not using saliva on the ball. Dilip Jajodia asked the bowlers for the upcoming series in England to carry a towel.
A towel should suffice
The ICC recently banned the use of saliva to prevent the spread of the coronavirus once the cricket gets resumed. While many have applauded the decision, many have raised eyebrows too. The pace bowlers use saliva to shine the ball and thus generate swing. So this act of the global cricket body makes the pacers a little worried about the same. West Indies meanwhile have reached England and both teams will start playing cricket to mark the comeback of international cricket amid the pandemic. the managing director of British Cricket Balls Ltd, who produces the Dukes balls uses in Test matches in England suggested the bowlers not to worry anymore and shared a simple piece of advice.
Dilip Jajodia clearly explained how the saliva works on the ball and how the bowlers can manage to get a similar effect by using just a towel.
Jajodia explains
Dilip Jajodia explained to Reuters “The ball has to be right in the first place. Whether you apply saliva or perspiration or whatever, these are small things that help. We have a proper ball with a hand-stitched seam. It’s designed to swing as long as you have the skill. And now that ICC has confirmed that you can use perspiration, I don’t see any problem.”
He further explained how the ball releases the wax which permeates through leather and shines the ball once the bowler rubs it vigorously against the cloth. So he suggested, “The great Malcolm Marshall was always seen with a little cotton towel hanging from his waist. And you see (England captain) Joe Root in a polyester shirt — polishing and polishing the ball. He’s wasting his time, it does not work. You should polish it on a natural material like cotton. Just perspiration and cotton. Carry a cotton towel, and you’d be fine.”
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