Wednesday, 3 October 2007

LATEST: Darrell Hair has no evidence that the International Cricket Council (ICC) sacked him from its elite panel of umpires because of his race, an employment tribunal was told early today (NZ time).

Hair, 55, is suing cricket's governing body in the central London tribunal for racial discrimination over his sacking from matches involving test nations last November.

Cross-examining Hair, ICC barrister Michael Beloff said the Australian's case was based on suspicion.

"I shall put it to the tribunal that you're swinging about wildly, seeking to make allegations against anyone you can without anything more than suspicion," Beloff said.

Hair claims the ICC bowed to pressure from a bloc of Asian members led by Pakistan and India when it stood him down.

His dismissal followed the abandoned fourth test between England and Pakistan at The Oval in August 2006.

Hair and West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove awarded victory to the home side after the Pakistan team failed to return to the field in protest at being penalised five runs for suspected ball tampering.

Amid the controversy that followed, Hair offered to resign in return for $US500,000 ($NZ661,638).

Today Hair denied an allegation by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the offer compromised his position or constituted a "secret payment".

"I was, to my mind, seeking some sort of settlement," Hair said.

"There was nothing secretive ... but I expected confidentiality."

Doctrove, who has continued to umpire at the highest level, is expected to give evidence at the tribunal later this week.

Hair today told the tribunal he believes he would have been treated differently if he was from the West Indies, India or Pakistan.

Hair yesterday accused the ICC of racially discriminating against him when he was prevented from umpiring tests involving Sri Lanka between 1995, when he controversially no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing, and 2003.

But Beloff suggested the fact Hair had referred to Muralitharan's action as "diabolical" in his autobiography might have had more to do with his prolonged exclusion from Sri Lanka test matches.

Beloff then asked: "Are you saying that this episode, your removal from the panel of those to umpire in Sri Lanka, has this got anything to do with the claim you're bringing against the ICC board?"

Hair replied: "No, it does not."

Meanwhile, Pakistan has dismissed Hair's claims as "nonsense" and "ridiculous".

Nasim Ashraf, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said he will be going to London to give evidence.

"Hair's charges are incorrect. What happened to him was because of his own inappropriate behaviour as a test umpire," Ashraf said.

"There was no racial discrimination involved and it was a board decision against Hair," he added.

Ashraf was part of a three-member committee that made recommendations on the Hair issue to the ICC executive board.
-AAP and Reuters