Shane Warne suggests making balls heavier on one side as an alternative to saliva

Legalizing ball-tampering in post-COVID-19 world to prevent the spread of such infections is the most debated topic in the world of cricket right now. While there have been contrasting opinions over the matter, former Australia legend Shane Warne has suggested a unique idea. Warne thinks that making one side of the ball heavier will cull the dilemma of whether to use saliva or an artificial substance to shine the cricket ball.

“Why can’t the ball be weighted on one side so it always swings? It would be like a taped tennis ball or like with the lawn bowls,” Warne told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

There is a strong belief that the practice of using saliva to shine the ball should be done away with to prevent the spread of contagious diseases such as COVID-19.

The unprecedented situation has already got one of the ball manufacturers in Australia moving. Kookaburra is believed to have started developing a wax applicator as an alternative. If claims are to be believed the substance might be ready in a month.

Warne thinks that making the ball would give fast bowlers an opportunity to move the ball even on flat tracks. “I’m not sure you’d want it to hoop around corners like Wasim (Akram) and Waqar (Younis) but it could swing and give the seamer something on flat wickets when it’s hot and the pitch is at its flattest on day two, day three,” Warne said.

The former leggie thinks that implementing this suggestion might also fix the issue of ball-tampering in cricket. “It would actually be a really good way to move forward, as you know no one needs to do anything to the ball. “You wouldn’t have to worry about anyone tampering with it with bottle tops, sandpaper, or whatever. It would be a good competition between bat and ball,” he added.

Warne also hinted that this could be an opportunity to ensure innovations as far as ball manufacturing is concerned. Over the years, while the bats have undergone several changes making them lighter, the shape and look of a cricket ball has remained uniform.

“Have a look at how the bats have evolved. If you pick up one of the bats you started within the 80s, and then one you used at the end of your career, it’s like four of your old ones stuck together – but the thing is lighter! So why has the ball not evolved? If anything, it has got worse.”