MCC examine 'shining trousers'

Date released: 6 June 2008

MCC will examine the new 'micro shine' trousers, which New Zealand are planning to use from October 2008.

The trousers have a special patch on which fielders can shine the ball.

MCC's Simon Cook rubs the ball on his more traditional trousers Often fielding teams opt to shine one side of the ball whilst allowing the other side to get scuffed up. This is said to aid the art of swing bowling.

Guardians of the laws

The new trousers will be passed on to Imperial College and examined in relation to law 42.3.

Law 42 concerns 'Fair and unfair play'. Sub-section 3, 'The match ball - changing its condition' says:

"(a) Any fielder may
(i) polish the ball provided that no artificial substance is used and that such polishing wastes no time."

• Read Law 42 in full

Prior to their investigations MCC does not consider a fielder's clothing to be an "artificial substance".

MCC recently tested a pink ball in a match at Lord's As the trusted guardians of the laws of cricket, MCC investigate many new innovations in the game.

A pink ball for one-day cricket and the monitoring of illegal bowling actions are already being examined.

MCC trial and test many new technologies and innovations, always with the balance of the contest between bat and ball uppermost in their considerations.