On the fourth day of the ongoing Manchester Test between England and West Indies, English opener Dom Sibley mistakenly applied saliva on the ball which forced the on-field umpires to disinfect the ball to continue the game.

While the coronavirus is still dominating, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned applying saliva on the ball for the indefinite period to stop the transmission of the virus. However, the ICC is totally ok with sweat as the bowling side can continue to apply sweat on the ball.

The ongoing Manchester Test is the second game after the pandemic forced to stop the cricket actions since last March. Shortly before the lunch of the fourth day of ongoing England vs West Indies Test, Dom Sibley mistakenly applied saliva on the ball to shine it. Soon, he informed his mistake to the on-field umpires, Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth.

Dom Sibley, saliva — Dom Sibley (Image Credit: Twitter)

While the off-spinner Dom Bess was getting ready to start his over, the on-field umpires examined the ball and decided to disinfect the ball immediately. It was the first warning for England in that innings.

According to the present rules, the team will receive two warnings per innings for mistakenly applying saliva on the ball. But if they continue that mistake in that same innings, the batting side will be awarded a five-run penalty.

Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes scored centuries in the first innings

Talking about the match, England scored 469/9 decl. in the first innings of this Test after the Caribbean side sent them to bat first. Opener Dom Sibley (120) and Test vice-captain Ben Stokes (176) scored centuries in that innings. The visiting off-spinner Roston Chase (5/172) bagged five wickets in that innings.

Ben Stokes, Dom Sibley — Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley (Image Credit: ICC Twitter)

In reply, West Indies started the fourth day on 32/1 and they scored 118/2 at the lunch of the day. In that break, while the Caribbean opener Kraigg Brathwaite scored 41 runs, Shai Hope was batting on 25 runs. In that first session of the day, the nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph was dismissed by Dom Bess for 32 runs.

England are trailing this three-match Test series by 1-0 after the first Test at Southampton where the hosts lost by four wickets.