Darrell Hair
Encyclopedia
Darrell Bruce Hair is an Australian former Test match cricket umpire, from New South Wales
. He stood on the Emirates International panel of umpires from 2002 to 2003, before he, along with fellow Australian Simon Taufel
, and New Zealander Billy Bowden
, was appointed to the ICC Elite umpire panel
. After an ICC board meeting discussed his actions in a Test match between Pakistan
and England
in 2006 it was decided he should not umpire matches involving the test playing nations. He was restored to the Elite Panel by the ICC on 12 March 2008 and stood in the England v New Zealand tests at Old Trafford in May and Trent Bridge in June 2008. However, he still remains a controversial figure in cricket.
and India
in Adelaide
. The test was won by Australia and according to the Wisden
was “marred … by controversy lbw
decisions – eight times Indians were given out, while all but two of their own appeals were rejected”. Hair's umpiring partner was Peter McConnell, who was standing in his last Test match.
In 1994 the International Cricket Council
(ICC) introduced a policy of appointing one umpire to each Test match from a non-participating country, and since 2002 both umpires have been appointed from non-participating nations. Since 2002 the majority of Hair’s Test matches have been played outside Australia, and did not involve Australia. His last Test match involving Australia was against South Africa
at Melbourne
on 26 December to 29 December 2001. Hair’s colleague was the West Indian umpire, Eddie Nicholls
.
At the local level, Hair played with the Mosman
club in the Sydney Grade Cricket
competition, as a right-arm fast-medium bowler.
in Melbourne, he no balled
Muttiah Muralitharan
seven times in three overs for throwing
. It was the first time Muralitharan had been called in 22 Tests, although the ICC later said that umpires had expressed doubts about his legitimacy for more than two years. Biomechanical investigation of Muralitharan's action conducted at the behest of the ICC concluded that a congenital elbow deformity was partly responsible for his unusual action and his arm remained bent throughout delivery of the ball. After further review by an expert panel, the ICC decided to raise the elbow extension limit to 15 degrees for all bowlers. In 1999 Hair was found guilty by the ICC of bringing the game into disrepute after he described Muralitharan action as "diabolical". Hair later received death threats that referenced the throwing incident and as a result the ICC decreed that he would not officiate any of Sri Lankas matches at the 1999 World Cup. In 2011, Hair still maintained that Muralitharan's bowling action is suspect.
, Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove
ruled that the Pakistani team had been involved in ball tampering
. They awarded five penalty runs to England and offered them a replacement ball. In protest the Pakistani players refused to take the field after the tea break. After 30 minutes the umpires removed the bails, declared England winners by forfeiture. The Pakistani team took the field 25 minutes later, but the umpires stated that the game had ended the moment the bails were removed. The Test was abandoned and the match awarded to England. The ICC
, ECB
and PCB
later affirmed that the decision to award the match to England was in accordance with the laws of cricket
. Former cricketers Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain
, Imran Khan
and Wasim Akram
criticised Hair for ending the game. Steve Waugh
backed the umpires' decision, saying "No-one is bigger than the game. The laws are there for a reason."
In an e-mail to the ICC Hair wrote that he would resign from the ICC Elite Umpire Panel in return for a non-negotiable one-off payment of US$500,000 directly into his bank account. Hair wrote that the payment was to compensate for the loss of future earnings and retainer payments. On 27 August, Hair stated that he had been in negotiations with the ICC prior to him sending the email, a statement denied by the ICC. Hair subsequently revoked the offer and in a press conference on 28 September 2006 reiterated that he never considered retirement.
On 28 September, Inzamam was acquitted of the ball tampering charge, but received a ban from four one day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute. The ICC-appointed match officials (Hair, Doctrove, Jesty, Cowie, Procter, and Peter Hartley) remained of the opinion that markings on the ball indicated tampering. At a press conference after the hearing the ICC announced that Hair would not be umpiring at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
because of security concerns. On 4 November 2006, Hair was banned from officiating in international matches by the ICC
following a two-day meeting held by the ICC. Malcolm Speed
, CEO of the ICC, stated that there there is "no issue" with the result of the Oval Test match. The decision was met with praise from the Pakistani board, who had previously called for Hair to be sacked.
Javed Miandad
said that the move by the ICC sets an example to other umpires and Bangladesh Captain Habibul Bashar
also supported the decision. Former Sri Lankan captain, Arjuna Ranatunga
, welcomed the decision saying that "Hair had a prejudice against Asian teams. I am happy that he is finally out". Ricky Ponting said he was surprised by the ICC's move to ban Hair and Cricket Australia
demanded the ICC explain the reasons for Hair being stood down. At the time, Hair had not ruled out taking legal action after the decision. Billy Doctrove
, the other umpire during the Oval Test, is unaffected by the ICC's ban on Hair, though he was also overlooked for the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
. In the aftermath of the Oval incident Hair was voted Umpire of the Season in a poll carried out by The Wisden Cricketer. A leaked ICC report showed that before the Oval incident, Hair was ranked the second-best umpire overall and number one in decision-making.
In February 2007 Hair announced he was suing the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board on grounds of racial discrimination. Hair said that he was made a scapegoat when he was barred from officiating Test matches after the forfeited Oval Test, as no action was taken against Billy Doctrove. In response, Naseem Ashraf
, chairman of the PCB, said "Mr Hair was removed from the ICC panel of umpires because of his bad umpiring and his poor judgement." On 9 October, 2007, Hair dropped his discrimination case. The ICC said Hair would undergo a development programme over the next six months seemingly with the goal to place him back into top level matches. During this six month period he will continue to officiate in second tier ICC associate matches. The ICC restored Hair to the Elite Umpiring Panel on 12 March 2008. On 22 August 2008 Hair handed in his resignation to the ICC in order to take up a coaching role. He had been an international umpire for 16 years.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He stood on the Emirates International panel of umpires from 2002 to 2003, before he, along with fellow Australian Simon Taufel
Simon Taufel
Simon James Arthur Taufel, , is an Australian cricket umpire who is a member of the ICC Elite umpire panel...
, and New Zealander Billy Bowden
Billy Bowden
Brent Fraser "Billy" Bowden is an international cricket umpire from New Zealand. He was a player until he began to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and took up umpiring...
, was appointed to the ICC Elite umpire panel
ICC Elite umpire panel
The Elite Panel of ICC Umpires is a panel of cricket umpires appointed by the International Cricket Council to officiate in Test matches and One Day Internationals around the world....
. After an ICC board meeting discussed his actions in a Test match between Pakistan
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
and England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
in 2006 it was decided he should not umpire matches involving the test playing nations. He was restored to the Elite Panel by the ICC on 12 March 2008 and stood in the England v New Zealand tests at Old Trafford in May and Trent Bridge in June 2008. However, he still remains a controversial figure in cricket.
Career
Hair umpired his first Test match in January 1992, between AustraliaAustralian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
and India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
in Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. The test was won by Australia and according to the Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
was “marred … by controversy lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
decisions – eight times Indians were given out, while all but two of their own appeals were rejected”. Hair's umpiring partner was Peter McConnell, who was standing in his last Test match.
In 1994 the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
(ICC) introduced a policy of appointing one umpire to each Test match from a non-participating country, and since 2002 both umpires have been appointed from non-participating nations. Since 2002 the majority of Hair’s Test matches have been played outside Australia, and did not involve Australia. His last Test match involving Australia was against South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
at Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
on 26 December to 29 December 2001. Hair’s colleague was the West Indian umpire, Eddie Nicholls
Eddie Nicholls
Edward Albert Nicholls is an international Test and One Day International cricket umpire. Nicholls officiated in 17 Tests from 1997 to 2001 and 46 ODIs from 1995 to 2005...
.
At the local level, Hair played with the Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
club in the Sydney Grade Cricket
Sydney Grade Cricket
Sydney Grade Cricket is a cricket competition played in Sydney, Australia. The competition began in 1893 when a number of clubs, which had been playing for many years on an ad hoc basis, voted to create a formal competition structure....
competition, as a right-arm fast-medium bowler.
No-balling Muralitharan for throwing
In a match between Australia and Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
in Melbourne, he no balled
No ball
In the sport of cricket a no ball is a penalty against the fielding team, usually as a result of an illegal delivery by the bowler. The delivery of a no ball results in one run to be added to the batting team's score, and an additional ball must be bowled...
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
seven times in three overs for throwing
Throwing (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, throwing, commonly referred to as chucking, is an illegal bowling action which occurs when a bowler straightens their arm when delivering the ball. The Laws of Cricket specify that a bowler's arm must be fully extended and rotated about the shoulder to impart velocity to...
. It was the first time Muralitharan had been called in 22 Tests, although the ICC later said that umpires had expressed doubts about his legitimacy for more than two years. Biomechanical investigation of Muralitharan's action conducted at the behest of the ICC concluded that a congenital elbow deformity was partly responsible for his unusual action and his arm remained bent throughout delivery of the ball. After further review by an expert panel, the ICC decided to raise the elbow extension limit to 15 degrees for all bowlers. In 1999 Hair was found guilty by the ICC of bringing the game into disrepute after he described Muralitharan action as "diabolical". Hair later received death threats that referenced the throwing incident and as a result the ICC decreed that he would not officiate any of Sri Lankas matches at the 1999 World Cup. In 2011, Hair still maintained that Muralitharan's bowling action is suspect.
2006 ball tampering incident
On the fourth day of the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at The OvalThe Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove
Billy Doctrove
Billy Raymond Doctrove is a former international football referee, but is best known as an international cricket umpire.- Career as a FIFA referee :...
ruled that the Pakistani team had been involved in ball tampering
Ball tampering
In the sport of cricket, ball tampering is an action in which a fielder illegally alters the condition of the ball. Under Law 42, subsection 3 of the Laws of Cricket, the ball may be polished without the use of an artificial substance, may be dried with a towel if it is wet, and have mud removed...
. They awarded five penalty runs to England and offered them a replacement ball. In protest the Pakistani players refused to take the field after the tea break. After 30 minutes the umpires removed the bails, declared England winners by forfeiture. The Pakistani team took the field 25 minutes later, but the umpires stated that the game had ended the moment the bails were removed. The Test was abandoned and the match awarded to England. The ICC
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
, ECB
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
and PCB
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
later affirmed that the decision to award the match to England was in accordance with the laws of cricket
Laws of cricket
The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by the Marylebone Cricket Club which describe the laws of cricket worldwide, to ensure uniformity and fairness. There are currently 42 laws, which outline all aspects of how the game is played from how a team wins a game, how a batsman is...
. Former cricketers Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain OBE is a former Essex and England cricketer.Beginning his career in a strong Essex side in the late 1980s, he was an outstanding fielder and a stylish but inconsistent batsman. In first-class cricket from 1987 to 2004 Hussain scored 20,698 runs in 334 matches at an average of 42.06,...
, Imran Khan
Imran Khan
Imran Khan Niazi is a Pakistani politician and former Pakistani cricketer, playing international cricket for two decades in the late twentieth century. After retiring, he entered politics...
and Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
criticised Hair for ending the game. Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
backed the umpires' decision, saying "No-one is bigger than the game. The laws are there for a reason."
In an e-mail to the ICC Hair wrote that he would resign from the ICC Elite Umpire Panel in return for a non-negotiable one-off payment of US$500,000 directly into his bank account. Hair wrote that the payment was to compensate for the loss of future earnings and retainer payments. On 27 August, Hair stated that he had been in negotiations with the ICC prior to him sending the email, a statement denied by the ICC. Hair subsequently revoked the offer and in a press conference on 28 September 2006 reiterated that he never considered retirement.
On 28 September, Inzamam was acquitted of the ball tampering charge, but received a ban from four one day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute. The ICC-appointed match officials (Hair, Doctrove, Jesty, Cowie, Procter, and Peter Hartley) remained of the opinion that markings on the ball indicated tampering. At a press conference after the hearing the ICC announced that Hair would not be umpiring at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
2006 ICC Champions Trophy
The 2006 ICC Champions Trophy was a One Day International cricket tournament held in India from 7 October to 5 November 2006. It was the fifth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy...
because of security concerns. On 4 November 2006, Hair was banned from officiating in international matches by the ICC
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
following a two-day meeting held by the ICC. Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Walter Speed is an Australian businessman and the former CEO of the International Cricket Council.Before he entered the world of cricket, he was a barrister in Melbourne. He was originally the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Cricket Board from 1997 until in 2001, he took up the...
, CEO of the ICC, stated that there there is "no issue" with the result of the Oval Test match. The decision was met with praise from the Pakistani board, who had previously called for Hair to be sacked.
Javed Miandad
Javed Miandad
Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...
said that the move by the ICC sets an example to other umpires and Bangladesh Captain Habibul Bashar
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar is a Bangladeshi cricketer, and the former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team. Under the managership of Davenell Frederick 'Dav' Whatmore, he has been found to be the most successful captain to lead the Bangladesh team to overcome several milestones. The first test...
also supported the decision. Former Sri Lankan captain, Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...
, welcomed the decision saying that "Hair had a prejudice against Asian teams. I am happy that he is finally out". Ricky Ponting said he was surprised by the ICC's move to ban Hair and Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia, formerly known as the Australian Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket...
demanded the ICC explain the reasons for Hair being stood down. At the time, Hair had not ruled out taking legal action after the decision. Billy Doctrove
Billy Doctrove
Billy Raymond Doctrove is a former international football referee, but is best known as an international cricket umpire.- Career as a FIFA referee :...
, the other umpire during the Oval Test, is unaffected by the ICC's ban on Hair, though he was also overlooked for the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
2006 ICC Champions Trophy
The 2006 ICC Champions Trophy was a One Day International cricket tournament held in India from 7 October to 5 November 2006. It was the fifth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy...
. In the aftermath of the Oval incident Hair was voted Umpire of the Season in a poll carried out by The Wisden Cricketer. A leaked ICC report showed that before the Oval incident, Hair was ranked the second-best umpire overall and number one in decision-making.
In February 2007 Hair announced he was suing the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board on grounds of racial discrimination. Hair said that he was made a scapegoat when he was barred from officiating Test matches after the forfeited Oval Test, as no action was taken against Billy Doctrove. In response, Naseem Ashraf
Naseem Ashraf
Nasim Ashraf was the Chairman of the National Commission for Human Development , Pakistan and a Minister of State. Prior to that, Ashraf served as the Team Leader for the President’s Task Force on Human Development in 2001. He was also appointed as Chairman PCB by the President of Pakistan in...
, chairman of the PCB, said "Mr Hair was removed from the ICC panel of umpires because of his bad umpiring and his poor judgement." On 9 October, 2007, Hair dropped his discrimination case. The ICC said Hair would undergo a development programme over the next six months seemingly with the goal to place him back into top level matches. During this six month period he will continue to officiate in second tier ICC associate matches. The ICC restored Hair to the Elite Umpiring Panel on 12 March 2008. On 22 August 2008 Hair handed in his resignation to the ICC in order to take up a coaching role. He had been an international umpire for 16 years.
International umpiring statistics
| First | Last | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Australia v India at Adelaide, Jan 1992 | England v New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Jun 2008 | 78 |
| ODI | India v West Indies at Adelaide, Dec 1991 | Ireland v Scotland at Belfast, Jul 2007 | 135 |