JIMMY ANDERSON admits he will find it difficult to break the habit of a lifetime and not use saliva to shine the ball this summer.
Anderson is one of the all-time greatest exponents of making a cricket ball swing and he uses a mixture of sweat and saliva to help.
Under new ICC regulations to be introduced next month, sweat can still be applied to the ball during the Covid-19 crisis but saliva will be outlawed.
Anderson, 37, England’s all-time top Test bowler with 584 wickets, said: “I’m 99 per cent convinced we won’t be allowed to put saliva on the ball and that’s a massive thing for me.
“To get the ball to swing, you need to be able to polish it and repair it when it gets scuffs.
“Even touching your face when you’re sweating is a natural reaction. Your immediate reaction when you get the ball in your hand is to start polishing it – and we use sweat and saliva.
“So, when we return to outdoor practice in the next couple of weeks, it’s important we get used to the fact that we can’t do it.
“I’m sure it is the same in all sports, when you’ve done something for so many years and all of a sudden you can’t, it will be really hard to change. So I think we’re going to have to try to help each other through it.”
While some players such as Jos Buttler have expressed reservations about a return to action, Anderson is desperate to cram in as much cricket as possible in the twilight of his career.
Talking to CNN Sport on Instagram live, he explained: “As long as all the safety measures are in place, I’ll be happy to go back and play.
“I don’t know how long I’ve got left. I’m getting towards the end of my career so I’m desperate to go and play.
“But I can fully understand the concerns. It’s a human reaction to be nervous about this situation. We have players who have pregnant wives (Joe Root and Chris Woakes) and the worry is if they bring something back.
“The ECB are making sure the safety of players and staff is paramount.”
