|| Desk Report ||

Braving the threat of the coronavirus worldwide pandemic, Cricket Australia (CA) is set to resume its competitive cricket with the Darwin & District Cricket Competition season next month.

As per the schedule, the competition is slated to begin on June 6.

It will be the first competitive cricket played in the country since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. There has been no decision on this year’s NT Strike League, the T20 tournament that saw David Warner play in 2018.

In line with ICC discussions, one includes an umpire being involved in the shining of the ball with wax applied to it, removing the need for saliva to be added.

“The ICC is working really closely with all the cricket bodies around the world in terms of finding new ways,” Baird told ABC Grandstand.

“Some consideration is now being given to whether things like that wax applicator will become part of cricket’s new normal.”

“And whether it’ll move away from the ball being shined – a dark mysterious art that happens in the outfield – to a more formalised process that happens with the umpires being involved.”

“They’re all the things cricket is working through at the moment. I think it’s a logical step (to remove the use of saliva). If you were creating cricket today, I’m not sure ball shining would be part of the game.”

“We’re confident we will have clear guidelines from CA with what is and isn’t going to be allowed.”