AUSTRALIAN Darrell Hair was cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday to return as a Test and one-day international umpire with immediate effect.
"I can confirm the ICC board has decided to bring him (Hair] back to Test and one-day international level," said an ICC spokesman.
Hair, 55, was sacked from the ICC's elite panel of umpires in November 2006 for his role in the Oval test in Aug
ust that year when Pakistan became the first team to forfeit a Test.
Pakistan blamed Hair for the fiasco that occurred when they refused to return to the field in protest after being penalised for alleged ball-tampering and England being awarded five extra runs. A chain of events followed and the ICC said they had "lost confidence" in Hair while barring him from standing in Tests and one-day internationals.
An ICC code of conduct hearing then cleared Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball-tampering although he was banned for four matches for bringing the game into disrepute. Hair filed a lawsuit against the ICC in February last year, but the case collapsed at an employment tribunal in London.
He subsequently underwent a rehabilitation programme devised by the ICC and has officiated in lesser matches.
"Darrell Hair is a good, competent umpire and his position will be reviewed after 31 March, 2009, as is the case with other umpires at the end of their contracts," ICC president-elect David Morgan said after yesterday's meeting of the executive board. "It (Hair's reinstatement] was a unanimous decision."
However, Shahayar Khan, former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Inzamam have criticised the decision. "This is shocking news," said Khan. "He (Hair] should never have been reinstated after committing so many gross irregularities during the Oval test. The ICC board decided beyond doubt Hair's conduct was not up to the mark. This man violated his responsibilities as a senior umpire. How the ICC can restore him is hard to comprehend."
Inzamam, who retired last year after playing 120 Tests and 378 one-dayers,
said: "The Pakistan Cricket Board needs to learn a lesson from the Indian board. See how they backed their players in Australia recently on contentious issues. Our board should never have backed down on this issue."
• Harbhajan Singh would be happy to patch things up with Australian pair Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds, the Indian off-spinner said yesterday. Opening batsman Hayden was reprimanded by Cricket Australia for calling the Indian spinner an "obnoxious weed".
According to media reports in Australia, Hayden regretted his comments and was keen to clear the air with Harbhajan.
"These things happen in the game and I am happy if he wants to patch (things] up," Harbhajan told the Mumbai tabloid Mid Day. "I never had any problem off the field with him, he is more than welcome to come and talk it over. I always got on with the game and now if he wants to get on with the game, I am happy to talk to him. From my side the issue is solved."
The full article contains 522 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
