No saliva on the ball

Using saliva to polish the ball has been banned since 2022, both in international cricket and in the MCC Laws. It is treated like any other attempt to change the condition of the ball.

What you can do

• Polish the ball on your clothing.
• Use sweat to shine it.
• Remove mud under the umpire's supervision.

What happens if someone uses saliva

The umpires can warn the team, and repeated offences can lead to 5 penalty runs for the batting side. Under the latest international playing conditions, umpires no longer have to swap the ball automatically. They only replace it if applying saliva has actually changed how the ball behaves, for example by making one side much wetter or shinier.