Hair future on line after shock pay-off plea by AFP

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Event:

Pakistan in British Isles 2006

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DateLine: 26th August 2006

 

Darrell Hair's future as a leading international umpire was left hanging in the balance after the extraordinary revelation by the International Cricket Council (ICC) that he'd offered his resignation in return for a payment of 500,000 dollars.

 

The Australian official, who later rescinded his offer, was one of two umpires standing in the fourth and final Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval last weekend who awarded the home side five penalty runs because they believed the tourists had illegally tampered with the ball.

 

Speaking at a news conference here Friday, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "Hair was under great stress when he wrote these letters.

 

"Darrell had no dishonest, underhand or malicious intent. He was seeking a solution that was in the interests of the game."

 

Nevertheless Speed, who made it clear that after stumps Sunday he'd tried to persuade his fellow Australian to carry on with the Test, told him his offer was "entirely inappropriate".

 

In his e-mail, which was sent to Doug Cowie, the ICC umpires and referees manager on Tuesday and released to the media Friday, Hair said he would stand down from August 31 on the following terms:

 

"A one-off payment to compensate the loss of future earnings and retainer payment over the next four years which I believe would have been the best years I have to offer ICC and world umpiring," he wrote in the e-mail.

 

"This payment is to be the sum of (US dollars) 500,000 - details of which must be kept confidential by both parties."

 

Asked if Hair's position was now untenable, Speed replied: "Darrell Hair has been in a difficult position since Sunday and I'm stating the obvious by saying as a result of this disclosure that position has been made more difficult.

 

"I said to Darrell that while this is a serious issue, there are issues in relation to his contract and to the ICC's Umpires' Code of Conduct.

 

"I said to him Friday he's not sacked, he's not suspended and he has not been charged," said Speed who said that all three of those situations could change.

 

Later Friday, Hair issued a statement to clarify his position.

 

"There is a now a communication from myself to the ICC in the public domain. This correspondence was composed at a very difficult time and was revoked by myself two days later after a period of serious consideration," said Hair.

 

"There was no malicious intent behind this communication with the ICC," insisted the umpire, who now lives in Lincoln, central England.

 

"I am anxious that the Code of Conduct hearing takes place as soon as possible so that these matters can be resolved and allow me to move on with my umpiring."

 

Pakistan have called on Hair to be barred from standing in any of their future games and although West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove was on the field at The Oval, Speed made it clear that Hair was the "senior" official.

 

Meanwhile the ICC's general manager, cricket, David Richardson, who was also present at Friday's London news conference, stated his belief that had acted out of genuine concern.

 

"I've got to know Darrell very well over the past three or four years and before that I knew him as a player," the former South Africa wicket-keeper explained.

 

"I think Darrell is respected because he does what he thinks is right, irrespective of who is playing or what the circumstances are.

 

"Sometimes that has been to his detriment.

 

"My immediate reaction when I saw the letter was typical Darrell. He believes 100 percent in his decisions on the field. I know it has caused a furore, but he thought this might help the ICC."

 

But whatever the outcome Hair, described by one Australian newspaper this week as "the bravest man in world cricket" is likely to have a question mark against his name for the rest of his career.

 

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is still facing charges of ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute arising out of the Oval chaos.

 

His case is now not expected to heard until the middle of September because of the unavailabilty Friday through personal reasons of ICC chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle to preside over the hearing.

 

But asked if in the light of the Hair revelations, the case against Inzamam would be dropped when the ICC's executive board met at its Dubai headquarters on September 2, Speed said: "I don't want to speculate about that.

 

"We need some advice about the impact of today's (Friday's) issue and we also need some advice about the power of the executive board to, in effect, overturn a properly laid code of conduct charge by an umpire."

 

Meanwhile, Pakistan tour manager Zaheer Abbas, who confirmed Pakistan's one-day series against England would be going ahead as scheduled - the tourists were reluctant to play on with the case against Inzamam unresolves - said Friday's revelations were a major boost to their defence.

 

"This is a huge victory, and it makes a strong case for us to be cleared on ball-tampering," Zaheer told the BBC's Asian Network.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)