Hair's claims of discrimination not correct - PCB chief

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Nasim Ashraf, has questioned Darrell Hair's claims that he was a victim of discrimination by the ICC and said he was willing to appear at the tribunal if required.

Hair's counsel, Robert Griffiths QC, told the London Central Employment Tribunal on Monday that he suffered racial discrimination and that the India and Pakistan boards heavily influenced the ICC's decision to effectively sack him from umpiring.

Ashraf, though, said the decision was taken by the ICC's board and not just the Asian bloc. "Hair's charges are incorrect and since this is a case against the ICC, all Test-playing members will testify. I am also ready to go to London. There was no racial discrimination involved and it was a board decision against Hair." The decision was taken in Mumbai last November.

Inzamam-ul-Haq was Pakistan's captain during the forfeited Test that is at the centre of the controversy. He was cleared of the ball-tampering charges that Hair accused his team of but was banned for four matches for bringing the game into disrepute by refusing to play on. He was sent notices and summoned to the tribunal last month while playing for Yorkshire; he's back in Pakistan now and Ashraf insisted he wasn't obliged to appear.

"I have no knowledge of Inzamam being summoned and he has not contacted the PCB. Inzamam is not a British citizen and isn't obliged to appear. If he wants to, though, he can go and testify. The PCB will certainly testify."

Ashraf also dismissed Griffiths' claims of a Watergate-style cover-up at the ICC meeting where the decision on Hair's future was taken. Griffiths alleged that a tape-recording of this meeting, attended by Sir John Anderson (New Zealand), Peter Chingoka (Zimbabwe) and Ashraf, was altered to omit crucial parts in the official transcripts. "I was part of that three-member meeting and there was no tape," Ashraf said. "This is not correct."