Twitter reacts to umpires sanitizing ball after Dom Sibley accidentally puts saliva on it
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Would āumpires sanitizing the ballā have been on the agenda of anyoneās list of āThings that would happen on the cricket field in 2020ā? Perhaps not. But it did happen today on Day 4 of the Old Trafford Test - for the first time in cricket history - after Dom Sibley put saliva on the ball.
Well, well, well. With every passing day, this England vs West Indies series seems to be putting an end to fanās suspicions on āwhat could possibly happen on the fieldā in wake of the new, strict playing regulations imposed by the ICC owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. On the very first day of the series, doubts surrounding social distancing, the impact of saliva ban on the bowlers, the atmosphere of cricket matches without crowds etc were cleared and today, on the ninth day of the series, we finally got the answer to something that was widely discussed before the series started: what would happen if a player applies saliva on the ball and how would the umpires sanitize the ball?
Right before the 41st over of the Windies over that was about to be bowled by Dom Bess, the on-field umpires, Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough, were seen vehemently wiping the ball with a tissue. For a brief while, the scene puzzled every single viewer, but it was soon then brought to notice by the commentators that the umpires were, in fact, sanitizing the ball. The commentators later revealed that they had to do so because Dom Sibley had accidentally put saliva on the ball. But being the good guy he is, the opener voluntarily informed the umpires, thus forcing them to sanitize the ball. Under the new regulations, repeated use of saliva on the ball can result in a five-run penalty, mind you. Anyway, this was a first in the history of cricket.
How well that ball is feeling?? :D :D
The year is 2020 and we now sanitize the cricket ball! š #ENGvWI #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/OxyrfTmVUe
ā James (@Surreycricfan) July 19, 2020
Yupe!
So they sanitize the ball if someone puts saliva on it to shine.
ā ą°µą°æą°·ą±ą°£ą±ą°®ą±ą°²ą°ą°² (@naren959) July 19, 2020
Dom Sibley just can't get rid of regularĀ habbits! :P
A lot of credit should go to @DomSibley, everyone makes mistakes, shows character to 'fess up especially under such scrutiny. Class act.
ā C Barrett (@CBarrett1994) July 19, 2020
The suggestion on comms is that Dom Sibley accidentally applied some saliva to the ball. Old habits and all that.
ā The Googly (@officialgoogly) July 19, 2020
Umpires were informed and then took the necessary measures to clean it.
One of England's player sibley uses the saliva that's the reason of sanitization. #ENGvWI
ā Cricket Talks (@JustACricketLo1) July 19, 2020
Yes, he did.
Sibley used saliva didnāt he ?
ā Anmar Goodridge-Boyce (@anmargboyce) July 19, 2020
Gutted we didnāt get to see the panic on Sibley's face when he realised heād put saliva on it
ā Matt (@Matt_Walker96) July 19, 2020
Hahaha! Not really for time being :|
The most stupid rule in the history of cricket.
ā Yashvardhan Nain (@LeeNainyash) July 19, 2020
Umpire's Sanitizing the ball before Dom Bess over #EngvWI #TestCricket pic.twitter.com/YzkoB5Xedk
ā SONU SHARMA (@SharmaSonu972) July 19, 2020
