AND IN SPORTS

The problem posed by the use of saliva to polish the ball is understood to be among the items raised by the ICC's medical committee to be addressed before cricket can resume, meaning that lateral thinking is required to allow bowlers and teams to continue to find effective ways to shine the ball to help encourage conventional or reverse swing.

(Thanks to pharmaross)

Comments

[pharmaross]

Cricket players may have to adopt Major League Baseball's practice of simply spitting on the field and scratching their balls at the plate between pitches.

[John]

Speaking for myself, I never use my saliva to polish my balls.

[pharmaross]

I agree with you John.

On the other hand, my girlfriend...

[klezmerphan]

Gee thanks for the TMI, John. Eye bleach, stat!

[Rod Nunley]

Spitballs are legal in cricket? Who knew?

Anyway, they're not thinking right about this. Instead of outlawing spitballs, why not invite bids for artificial polishing saliva? Some entrepreneur undoubtedly would come up with something that would work.

[Not My Usual Alias]

At one point, I started a chart that translated Cricket terms used in cultural references with similar terms for baseball. Sadly, it was terms like this entry that meant the project was doomed before it started.

[Cheesewiz]

Has it really come to this? Faux interest in cricket?

Sheeeesh!

[Flathead County Frank]

Back in my day any man who tampered with another man's balls could be identified by having either a black eye, limp and walking funny or just walking funny and whistling through round lips.

[Seeker]

Cricket is a strange sport, not surprised that spitballs are not only allowed, but an an intregal part of the game.

A Canadian friend has given me this helpful summary of the game for U.S. citizens:

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.

Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in, and the next man goes in until he's out.

When they are all out, the side that's out comes in, and the side that's been in goes out, and tries to get out those coming in.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When both sides have been in and out (including the not outs), the winner is declared.

If there is one.

Howzat!