Speed wanted to keep Hair

Ben Dorries and Robert Craddock, writing in The Courier-Mail, report Malcolm Speed wanted to save Darrell Hair from the axe.

The Courier-Mail has learnt that ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed strongly lobbied for Hair to remain on the elite umpires panel in Friday's ICC board meeting in Mumbai but was howled down by the board members. Speed does not have a vote on the ten-member executive board which voted 7-3 to sack Hair after heavy pressure from the Asian bloc countries.

In a comment piece Craddock says “we’ve been whispering it for years but now it's official – the Asian nations run cricket”.

Whether it be chasing the rights to host a World Cup, getting officials in important positions or getting rid of an umpire, the Asian bloc gets what it wants. England and Australian officials may luxuriate in holding the oldest, most famous series of all but when it comes to power broking they are no longer the kings.

In The Age Trevor Marshallsea writes no international umpire will ever take a stand again after Hair’s treatment.

Scyld Berry in The Sunday Telegraph reflects on the ICC’s decision to ban Hair from standing in any international matches between now and the expiry of his contract in 2008, saying that he had “been hung out to dry”.