–local umpire says players’ safety priority


By Clifton Ross 

LOCAL cricket umpire, Zaheer Mohammed, said he’s advocating for the new International Cricket Council’s (ICC) proposal to legalize ball-tampering in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The ICC recently proposed to make ball-tampering legal by means of allowing the application of substances such as wax or shoe polish. The move, if approved, will be done under the supervision of the umpires, resulting in the once illegal process of tampering with the ball now legal.
Mohammed, a veteran journalist and one of Guyana’s fully qualified cricket umpire, told Guyana Chronicle, on Saturday, that he was in support of the move by the ICC should it come into full effect.

“In the wake of Covid-19, it is something worth considering, especially in Test matches. Some pitches around the world offer little help to fast-bowlers; so not being able to shine the ball as they used to will make things difficult for them”. Mohammed opined.
From an impartial perspective, Mohammed said that although the rule could be beneficial given the circumstances, it is important to create an atmosphere where it’s fair for both batsmen and bowlers.

“I think the idea is good but at the same time, you do not want to create an unfair advantage for the bowlers so, in the end, balance must be there”.

Regarding the faster bowlers, the veteran cricket Journalist further pointed out that the pacers, in particular, will be in the limelight should this new rule come into play.

“The fast-bowlers do rely on movement early on in the innings, so it is something worth looking at; but overall I think the safety of the players is the real priority”, he ended.
It will be left to be seen if this new proposed rule will help or hurt the flow of the game but, with health being the primary focus in every aspect, the ICC could likey break new ground as they seek to preserve the welfare of the players and the sport.