ICC discloses correspondence from Darrell Hair

ICC President Percy Sonn and Chief Executive Malcolm Speed today disclosed details of correspondence the organization received from Emirates Elite Panel umpire Darrell Hair two days after the conclusion of the fourth Test at The Oval.

Mr Hair sent ICC Umpires and Referees Manager Doug Cowie two emails on that day, Tuesday 22 August, the first of which saw him offer to leave his job as a top official in exchange for a payment of US$500,000.

The correspondence was forwarded to Mr Speed who wrote back to Mr Hair later that day stating the letters were entirely inappropriate. Mr Hair then revoked the emails.

Subsequent to his receipt of the correspondence Mr Speed sought independent legal advice to establish whether he was required to disclose the correspondence to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The unanimous view of that advice was that it should be disclosed.

Mr Speed said: "When I received the correspondence I was extremely surprised by its contents. I was concerned as to how I should deal with it and, in particular, whether, as a matter of fairness, I was required to disclose it.

"We received three separate and independent legal opinions. They offered the unanimous view that the ICC was required to disclose the correspondence as it was material or relevant to matters that might be raised in the Code of Conduct hearing of Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.

"Although we are certain they are not the product of dishonest, underhand or malicious intent and believe the contents played no part in Darrell's decision-making during the fourth Test, they could be read as such and may well be interpreted that way if they had emerged in the future.

"Darrell Hair was informed of our intention to disclose the documents earlier today, the emails have been made available to the PCB, its lawyers and Inzamam and have also been made available to the public through the media.

"The view of those of us at the ICC aware of these emails is that they were written by a man under a great deal of stress after an extremely difficult Test match and we believe his intention was to try to act in the best interests of the game."

Mr Speed said that, as an employer, the ICC had a duty of care to Mr Hair and it would carry out that duty to the best of its abilities.

"We realise the disclosure of this correspondence makes Darrell's situation extremely sensitive," he said. "We have made available to him a range of support services including security advice, counselling and media management to assist him at this time."

Mr Speed said the disclosure of the emails did not alter the fact that Pakistan and its captain Inzamam-ul-Haq may still have to answer the charges laid against it, of illegally altering the condition of the ball and bringing the game into disrepute.

"Despite the unprecedented media and public interest, something that is bound to be intensified by today's disclosure, at the heart of the matter it is still a case of two simple cricket issues," he said.

"Did the Pakistan team change the nature of the ball in an illegal manner under the Laws of Cricket and did its refusal to take the field after the tea interval bring the game into disrepute?"

The ICC's President Percy Sonn, in London with Mr Speed, said: "We will convene a meeting of the Executive Board in the near future to discuss these developments."

Mr Sonn said he hoped the disclosure of the correspondence represented a point in time after which everyone could once again go forward and focus on playing matters rather than intrigue.

"Ever since last Sunday this ongoing situation has been marked by a succession of unfortunate and entirely avoidable over-reactions," he said.

"What we need now is for everyone to try and switch their attention to on-field matters once more.

"The two teams, England and Pakistan, have produced some superb cricket this summer and the best result for everyone now would be for them to produce more of the same in the forthcoming NatWest Series.

"We have been assured by the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Mr Shaharyar Khan, that his side intends to contest the series as scheduled and we welcome that decision as the first step on the road to a return to normalcy.

"I now call on both sides to go out and put a smile back on the face of the world's cricket lovers with some superb action and remind everyone why this is such a great game."