ICC running with the Hair? (13 February 1999)

13 February 1999

ICC running with the Hair?

Elmo Rodrigopulle

MELBOURNE, Australia, Friday - Umpire Darrel Hair who created a furore when he published his book 'DECISION MAKER', was hauled before the International Cricket Council who laid four charges under its code of conduct.

The inquiry was held on Thursday night and Hair was charged by the ICC with four breaches of clause 8 of the code. Clause 8 of the ICC code of conduct refers to conduct detrimental to the game.

Judge Gordon Lewis, the Australian Cricket Board Code of Conduct Commissioner, who is also a judge in the Victorian County Court conducted the hearing in Melbourne. Hair was found guilty of two charges and the other two charges were dismissed.

But Hair who has the knack of escaping like a 'hare' managed to wriggle out without any penalty because Judge Lewis found he was unable to identify a penalty process in the ICC Code of Conduct that applied to umpires. Accordingly no penalty was applied to Darrel Hair.

"We will take careful note of Judge Lewis' views about the inability of the Code of Conduct to adequately deal with any penalty for an umpire and refer his detailed reasons to our solicitors for their advice in regard to the Code, said David Richards, Chief Executive ICC.

At the hearing, Darrel Hair represented himself, while ICC chief Executive David Richards was the ICC representative.

The International Cricket Council has once again come out in poor light. This is another instance where the ICC rules carry no bite where, in this instance an umpire who has been convicted cannot be penalised.

Darrel Hair went on record in his book 'DECISION MAKER', where he proved bias by saying that he will not hesitate to call Sri Lnaka's off spinner Muthiah Muralitharan if he sees no apparent change in the bowler's action.

When things were getting hot for Hair and with the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lnaka vehemently protesting to the ICC about Hair, the umpire withdrew from matches he was down for umpiring against Sri Lanka. But his other umpiring mate Ross Emerson called Muralitharan in Adelaide and the events that followed are history now.

But what is interesting in this whole ugly episode is that the Australian Cricket Board has given Hair a vote of confidence by appointing Hair to the World Cup Panel of Umpires. This was announced by the Australian Cricket Board, CEO, Malcolm Speed.

The World Cup program for umpires begins on May 7, with a number of warm-up matches. The World cup begins on May 14.

With the ICC not having enough teeth to deal with Hair, the ACB would have set an example had they dealt with Hair. But as it stands Hair has been allowed free.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)