Inzamam 'disgusted' at Hair reinstatement by AFP

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Player:

Inzamam-ul-Haq

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DateLine: 20th March 2008

 

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said he was "shocked and disgusted" by controversial umpire Darrell Hair's reinstatement, as a former top official described the move as an insult.

 

Inzamam clashed with Hair in the forfeited Oval Test between Pakistan and England in August 2006, which led to the Australian umpire's ban from standing in top-level matches.

 

"I am terribly shocked and disgusted at the news," Inzamam said from India, where he is featuring in the Indian Cricket League.

 

Hair was recalled to the elite panel of umpires on Tuesday after the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to reinstate him in its board meeting held in Dubai.

 

"I would blame the Pakistan Cricket Board for bowing down in Hair's case and no player will now stand against injustices at international level," Inzamam said.

 

"Hair was at fault but he is reinstated like a hero."

 

Hair and his West Indian colleague Billy Doctrove penalised Inzamam's Pakistan five runs for alleged ball-tampering, enraging the captain who refused to take field after tea on day four.

 

As a result the match was awarded to England on a forfeit, the first such result in the history of the game. Inzamam was later cleared of ball-tampering but received a four-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute.

 

He said Hair's reinstatement reflected double standards in the ICC, saying the world governing body, led by outgoing chief executive Malcolm Speed, had "botched" its handling of the situation.

 

"After the Oval Test it was the ICC which blamed Hair and now the same ICC has reinstated him," said Inzamam.

 

"ICC botched up the matter in 2006 and it has botched up the matter now. I think Malcolm Speed has given a gift to an Australian colleague before he retires from the post of chief executive of the ICC."

 

After his demotion, Hair was restricted to officiating matches involving minor nations. He began a racial discrimination claim against the ICC but dropped the case and was on a rehabilitation programme organised by the body.

 

Inzamam said Hair's honesty was in doubt after he offered to resign in return for payment of 500,000 pounds (one million dollars).

 

"How honest Hair is can be gauged by the fact that he asked for money to retire," said Inzamam.

 

Shahryar Khan, PCB chairman at the time of the Oval forfeit, said Hair's reinstatement was a "slap on the face of Pakistan cricket."

 

"I am angry and absolutely shocked. ICC has taken the decision at once and it is an insult to Pakistan cricket," said Khan, who was removed two months after the incident.

 

Another former captain, Ramiz Raja, said the decision showed Pakistan's weakness at international level.

 

"The decision of Hair's recall shows Pakistan's lack of presence at international forums," said Raja, a television commentator during the Oval Test.

 

"It is surprising that Hair was reinstated without being tried and tested. It shows that the international community is ready to walk over Pakistan whenever they want."

 

But the PCB denied it had been weak on the issue.

 

"We have made our views clear to the ICC on Hair. The entire matter was thoroughly discussed at the meeting and this is a wrong impression that the PCB was weak on this issue," PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf told AFP.

 

When asked if Pakistan would object to Hair officiating in any match involving the country, Ashraf refused a direct reply, saying "we have full faith on the ICC management that they will take a judicious judgement on the matter."

(Article: Copyright © 2008 AFP)