Lee wants ICC to come up with artificial substance to replace saliva ahead of India meeting

Since the ICC has banned the use of saliva for bowlers during games, former speed merchant Brett Lee has called on the game’s custodian to come up with an artificial substance that will replace it.

The ICC had to ban saliva usage to avoid the spread of COVID-19, which forced all activities to be halted for over three months.

Lee who said that Australia’s pace triumvirate, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood would hold the key during the year-end home Test series against India is keen to figure out how much the ball will swing without saliva.

The substance, according to him, will help maintain the balance between bat and ball.

Speaking ahead of the India series, he said playing at home gives Australia the advantage, but Lee said India would pack a full-strength squad to tour Australia. He further expressed the belief that for Australia to win, their bowlers hold the key.

Speaking on the ban of saliva, which has become a natural habit for bowlers, Lee said it would change how the game is played, as it could make things even harder for bowlers.

43-year-old Lee further stated that India’s pace attack has been phenomenal in the past three years, adding that it can knock over any top order in world cricket. This is why he is saying it boils down to how much the ball swings.

He also said that saliva is essential for bowlers to keep the new ball shiny and also to do a reverse swing.

While stating that fast bowlers use less saliva on a new ball than the old one,” the holder of 310 Test wickets asserted that they need to come up with some artificial substance that they can use.

Lee is hoping that normalcy returns soon amid the COVID-19 pandemic as cricket boards go through financial stress.

The speedster, who noted that the pandemic had led to pay cuts in the workforce, said it has a significant effect on them.

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed