INDIA: CRICKET - International Cricket Council (ICC) decision bans Australian Darrell Hair's international umpiring career until his contract expires in March 2008 over the Pakistan ball tampering row

Australian Darrell Hair's international umpiring career ended abruptly on Saturday (November 4) when he was banned until his contract expires in March 2008. The decision was announced by International Cricket Council (ICC) President Percy Sonn after a two day meeting of members from 10 test-playing nations and three affiliates in India's western city of Mumbai. "They (ICC) have lost confidence in Mr. Hair. Mr. Hair's discussion -- they have given instructions to our management to discuss Mr. Hair's future with him. I think we owe Mr. Hair the curtsey of allowing his future to be discussed with our management before we go any further on the matter," said Sonn. Pakistan blamed Hair when they forfeited the fourth test against England at the Oval in August after being penalised for alleged ball tampering. The Pakistanis refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day after Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove penalised the team five runs and changed the ball. Hair and Doctrove then decided Pakistan had forfeited the test. It was the first forfeiture in the history of test cricket. Malcolm Speed, chief executive of world cricket's governing body, said Hair was told of the decision on Friday (November 3) and he would speak to him later. "David Richardson who is the ICC general manager of cricket and myself will speak to Darrell in the next couple of days when he's had a chance to think about what this means for him," Speed said. Hair's elite umpire's panel contract is due to expire in March 2008. The 54-year-old is the fourth most-experienced umpire of all time, having stood in 76 tests and 124 one-dayers. The decision to stand down Hair overshadowed the build-up to Sunday's Champions Trophy final between world champions Australia and holders West Indies in Mumbai. An ICC inquiry on September 28 cleared Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball tampering, although it banned him for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf welcomed the decision on Hair. The ICC had said Hair would not officiate in the Champions Trophy, which concludes in India on Sunday for "safety and security" reasons. Hair was embroiled in further controversy soon after the alleged ball tampering incident when the ICC revealed he had offered to retire in exchange for $500,000; the PCB made it clear it did not want him involved in any more of its games. In another decision, the ICC lifted the life ban on former Pakistan pace bowler Ata-ur-Rehman on Saturday, six years after he was punished for his role in an international match-fixing scandal. Ata, 31, was banned and fined in 2000 for committing perjury during an 18-month match-fixing inquiry in Pakistan. He appealed to the ICC to lift the ban to allow him to play as a professional in England. The ICC board cleared him to resume playing from next May on the recommendation of its Code of Conduct Commission after an application by the Pakistan board. "He (Pakistan's Ata-u-Rehman) has been reinstated on the officials players list," said, Percy Sonn. Ata, who played 13 tests and 30 one-dayers, had appealed, saying he was now a British citizen but was unable to get a playing contract due to the ban.

ITN Source | November 5, 2006

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