 Inzamam shocked at Hair recall
19th Mar 2008 14:01 IST
Agencies
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was at the helm of the Oval fiasco, has expressed "shock" over the reinstatement of Umpire Darrell Hair by the ICC and asked the Cricket Board to further review the issue.
"It has come as a shocker to me. Especially after all that happened in the Oval Test and afterwards. What more proof they required (that) Hair was not fit to stand in international matches," Inzamam said.
Inzamam, currently playing in the Indian Cricket League, felt the Pakistan board needed to learn something from the way the Indian board backed its players on contentious issues and take a stronger stand on the issue.
"I don't know what happened in this ICC meeting today. I don't know the details but what I know is that after the Oval Test, it was clear Hair should not supervise international matches. Why that has changed is surprising to me. Our board still needs to review this issue."
Inzamam was the captain of the Pakistan team which refused to continue play after Tea on the fourth day of the Oval Test between Pakistan and England in August 2006 after Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove penalised them five runs on charges of ball tampering.
Hair and Doctrove then called off the match, which leading to the first-ever forfeiture in the Test cricket history.
An ICC adjudicator later cleared Pakistan of ball tampering charges but banned Inzamam for four matches for misconduct while submitting a negative report about Hair, which led to his ouster from the Elite Panel of umpires.
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