TV footage shows Phillips appearing to apply saliva on the ball

Glenn Phillips was shown on TV applying saliva on the ball during the third day's play of the Sylhet Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand. The incident took place after the first ball of the 34th over, when Phillips appeared to apply saliva on the ball before delivering it. On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Paul Reiffel, however, didn't intervene or take any sort of action at the time.

When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, an ICC spokesperson said that it was up to match officials to "deal with on-field incidents, and we don't give statements".

At the post-match press conference, Bangladesh team manager Nafees Iqbal confirmed that he had seen the footage, and had "informed the fourth umpire".

Law 41.3 of the game, updated and put into effect on October 1, 2022, says: "When cricket resumed following the onset of Covid-19, playing conditions were written in most forms of the game stating that applying saliva to the ball was no longer permitted. MCC's research found that this had little or no impact on the amount of swing the bowlers were getting. Players were using sweat to polish the ball, and this was equally effective.

"The new Laws will not permit the use of saliva on the ball, which also removes any grey areas of fielders eating sugary sweets to alter their saliva to apply to the ball. Using saliva will be treated the same way as any other unfair methods of changing the condition of the ball."

The previous instance of a player applying saliva on the ball, by Alishan Sharafu during a Nepal vs UAE ODI in November 2022, resulted in Nepal being awarded five penalty runs.