LONDON, 20 March 2008 — Darrell Hair is unlikely to officiate at matches involving Pakistan despite being restored as a Test and One-Day International umpire, an International Cricket Council (ICC) official said yesterday.

The ICC announced on Tuesday that Hair had been restored to their elite panel but general manager Dave Richardson said the world governing body would act to prevent Hair from standing in matches involving Pakistan.

“We would have to take a sensible approach,” Richardson told the BBC on Wednesday. “We will probably keep him away from Pakistan matches where we can.” Australian Hair, 55, was sacked from the ICC’s elite panel of umpires in November 2006 for his role at the Oval in August that year when Pakistan became the first team to forfeit a Test.

Pakistan refused to return to the field in protest after being penalized for alleged ball tampering and England being awarded five extra runs.

Richardson hinted, however, that Hair would not be barred from officiating in all matches involving Asian teams.

“It’s pointless having an umpire on the elite panel who is excluded from umpiring certain teams,” he added.

“There are always going to be stages in an umpire’s career when he is not flavor of the month but he will come up against an Asian team at some stage.

“Darrell Hair, over time, seems to polarize opinion but a lot of his supporters will feel it’s justified to bring him back and that he was unjustly kept on the sidelines in the first place,” former Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq was quoted by the BBC saying he was shocked by Hair’s reinstatement.

“What more proof did they require that Hair was not fit to stand in international matches?” he said.

ICC president-elect David Morgan told reporters on Tuesday the council’s decision to reinstate Hair was unanimous.

“Darrell Hair is a good, competent umpire and his position will be reviewed after March 31, 2009 as is the case with other umpires at the end of their contracts. It was a unanimous decision (to reinstate him).” The move came after Hair underwent a rehabilitation program devised by the ICC and umpired less important fixtures.

Pakistan Urge Sri Lanka

to Fill Australia Gap

In Karachi, Pakistan are appealing to Sri Lanka to help fill their scheduling gap after Australia shelved a planned tour over security fears, an official said yesterday.

Pakistan want Sri Lanka to visit in the second half of April after Bangladesh agreed to play earlier in the month. Australia were due to tour from March 29 to April 29.

“Sri Lankan board’s president Arjuna Ranatunga is coming to Pakistan today and I hope that he will agree to send his team for a one-day series,” Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf told AFP.

Bangladesh will play five one-day matches next month here, Ashraf added. Sri Lanka are touring the West Indies until April 15.

Ashraf also brushed off doubts over Pakistan’s hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy in September and the Asia Cup in June and July.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday confirmed Pakistan will host the elite Champions Trophy from Sept. 11-28.

But it named Sri Lanka as an alternative venue in case Pakistan is not cleared on security issues.

“ICC is sending an advanced party to Pakistan today which will assess facilities and security in Pakistan and we hope to host the event in a befitting manner,” Ashraf said. Separately, an Asian Cricket Council delegation is in Pakistan and will announce the dates and venues for the Asian Cup in Lahore today.

“We have unequivocal confirmation from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong to come for the Asia Cup,” said Ashraf.

Ashraf also said he held meetings with Cricket Australia (CA) chief Creagh O’Conner in Dubai and hoped that the postponed Australia series will be rescheduled very soon. CA has invited the PCB chairman to visit Australia to fix new dates for the tour. Australia’s tour had been in doubt for months amid questions about security following a series of major blasts and serious political upheaval.