The PCB has done the right thing by sending a strongly worded letter to the ICC… even threatening to pull out of the ICC Trophy if Hair was appointed for any of Pak games. Hair should never be allowed to stand as an umpire in any of our matches. Will the ICC listen now?
KARACHI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The Pakistan Cricket Board has told the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shun Australian umpire Darrell Hair for next month’s Champions Trophy in India.
A well-placed board source told Reuters on Tuesday that the ICC had been informed in writing that if Hair was put on the umpires panel for the Champions Trophy, it would consider a strong action including a pull-out option from the event.
The PCB is due to take on Hair in a disciplinary hearing of the ICC in September 27 and 28 which will hear charges of ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute against captain Inzamam-ul-Haq. Pakistan pleaded not guilty to both charges and have hired a team of lawyers to defend them.
The row erupted between the Pakistan team and Hair during the final day of the fourth test against England at the Oval last month when the umpires decided to change the ball and penalise the Pakistanis five runs for alleged ball-tampering.
Pakistan refused to accept Hair’s verdict and declined to come out after tea, rssulting in the umpires awarding the match to England.
“Pakistan is very clear on Hair’s future appointments. It does not want him appointed either in the Champions Trophy or any other series in which is Pakistan is playing,” the source said.
He stated that the board had also sent another strong letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed with reference to the warning he issued to Inzamam and the PCB to refrain from speaking on the Oval incident. “The Board Chairman has asked Speed that whether the ICC code of conduct allowed (Speed) or Hair to also make public comments.”
PCB chief Shaharyar Khan, when asked if Pakistan would accept Hair in the Champions Trophy, said the board had taken the desired steps to ensure no crisis arose.
“That is all I can say on it at this moment,” he added.
Khan announced after a meeting of the board’s executive board on Tuesday in Karachi that former test captain Zaheer Abbas had been replaced as manager for the Champions Trophy. He said another former test player and ex-ICC match referee, Talat Ali would, would be the new manager for the event in India.
“I wouldn’t say it is any indictment on Zaheer’s capability but we have decided to move him away from this responsibility as he is one of our witnesses in the ICC hearing and we don’t want any extra pressure on him,” he said. He confirmed that Hair and umpire Billy Doctrove reported Pakistan for ball-tampering to match referee Mike Procter after the Oval test.
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
I am not convinced that this is the right message. So essentially, if ICC wants to kick Pakistan out of a tournament, all they have to do is to appoint Hair in the panel of umpires (which they very well could) and then Pakistan will sit in a corner and sulk. That doesn't make sense. Why should Pakistan team and the people suffer, due to actions of one individual? Rather then resorting to silly blackmail tactics, our Board should be lobbying other cricket boards to kick Hair out of the elite panel. I hope they are doing that, rather than just making stupid statements in the press.
On the issue of writing a strongly-worded letter to ICC about Malcolm Speed making idiotic comments about the proposed hearing, I think PCB is exactly right. Speed should be made to shut up. Self-righteous moron!
Re: Zaheer Abbas issue, while I completely agree that Zaheer Abbas was an incompetent manager, the least our Board can do is be honest and clear in the reason for kicking him from the position. To say that since he is a witness to the proposed hearing so we don't any "extra pressure" on him is silly. Inzi, Woolmer and Shahryar Khan are likely to be even more important witnesses. Is the cricket board gonna kick all of them out, so they don't have any "extra pressure" on them while preparing for the hearing? What nonsense! PCB could have clearly said that appointment of manager is for series-to-series, and for Champions Trophy we want to give chance to another of our crony, Mr Talat Ali Esq. Simple and true.
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
I agree, that reasoning behind letting go of Zaheer Abbas is just pathetic. Inzamam probably has the most pressure out of them all, so let him stay home then and not play. Being captain and being under investigation and center of hearing on Sept 27-28. They should have been honest about the reasons of letting Zaheer go and he was incompetent in his role as a Manager.
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
Another sad and stupid move by PCB, I do not know what goes through in their head. I mean just because of Oval and the victim card you cannot literally blackmail and keep on accusing ICC. I mean they did nothing and only thing PCB is doing is making a fool of them in the international arena. The controversy is over….Darrel is proved to be guilty and been questioned throughout world press. People, players and opinions are coming mostly in favor of us, we should be the one to shut up and move on. I would not be surprised if ICC takes a strong and hard approach against PCB.
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
^^ no way...they will take notice all right...and it will "cut both ways" for us..if you are right and they don't then I will be very happily surprised...
stupid stupid stupid PCB..all the way..
goray ka bacha will prove who is MR. BROWN once and for all..
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
Hair appointment for Champion trophy should be jeopardize purely because of his $500,000 offer, not because of PAK request or protest. I think his email offer was an enough reason to keep him off any panel.
It is pathetic that ICC didn't sacked him right away. It is a disgrace to ICC Elite Panel if you have a crooked on it even after disclosing such a greedy ambition to millions. I will consider Sunil Gawasker and Michael Speed as BIG MORONs on the face of earth if they pick such a person for gentlemen game.
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
About time too !
PCB has done the correct thing. This deffinitly addresses the coming issues that might arise by Mr. Hair’s controvercial appointment to the tournament, letter should be seen in the more futuristic sense of matter. A bold attempt with long term benefits indeed. I know it looks ugly right now!
Zaheer Abbaas, no matter how noble and nimble he may be was not the right
person at the wrong time thus he paid the price.
Ps: Idealy Pakistan should not have taken the field at all after the tea interval.
For instance some of the past Team Managers would have handled things differently. :halo:
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
^^ Think about it !
ICC is not above any principle nor law. Pakistan’s action can put another nail in its coffin by their action (letter) thus to bring the whole ICC structure to the limelight
This is their (ICC) mandate and it is being breached match after match.
It is their (present admin of ICC) who are the main obstical against using technology to the full advantage of the game. Full of Old idiot farts,
Imagin ! If they can prove ball tampering, then Bowlers upon reviewing the
controvercial decision of an LBW or caught behind should also be able to appeal in lieu. Batsmen would be able to repeal umpire decision long after the match gets over,(there is already a clause in the ICC cricketing rule but well shrouded and less known)
We the viewing public when see such clear misses and poor umpiring, half the fun of fair compitition goes out of the window,in the end we summerize by saying,Oh well England got lucky with their 2 LBW appeals,which were proven to be way off line,etc etc etc, wtf,
Don’t you think its abaout time someone should take the bell and shove it up ICC’s behind ,
Re: PCB warn ICC over appointing Darrell Hair for ICC Trophy
It is pathetic that ICC didn't sacked him right away.
You have hit the nail on the head. The very first line item from Speed's mouth at that point in time, when this blackmail-incident started to unfold, was the following - *"He will not be sacked, will not face any kind of suspension and will not be charged under any means." *Blaming Pakistan through this thick-and-thin for our wrong-doings is all fine and dandy and I am more than willing to accept the faults of our board but the above statement by Speed was purely and simply a future assurance guarantee which meant that that pig will not be thrown off the elite panel and was simply a one-sided bigotry; nothing more to it.
On the case point of this thread, I fail to agree with this ideology that has been developed by PCB. When one is on the receiving end, a person should just tape his own mouth from delivering and revealing any further incompetencies. It has been turned from a cultural war into a diplomatic war. Let the lawyers run the case.
