Rediff

Sydney, Aug 23: Controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair has resigned from the International Cricket Council (ICC) elite umpires panel, an ICC spokesman said on Friday.

The Australian newspaper reported on its website (www.theaustralian.news.com.au) that Hair had quit to take up a position as executive officer of the New South Wales Umpires and Scorers Association.

Hair, 55, hit the headlines when he was removed from the umpires panel for matches involving full member nations after Pakistan forfeited the fourth test against England at The Oval in 2006 when they were penalised for ball tampering.

He only returned to umpiring at the top level this year for two tests between England and New Zealand.

Hair and his West Indies' colleague Billy Doctrove had enraged the Pakistan team when they penalised them five runs for ball tampering on the fourth day of The Oval test.

Captain Inzaman-ul-Haq and his players refused to take the field after tea and the match was awarded to England by forfeit.

Pakistan were cleared of ball tampering at an ICC disciplinary hearing but Inzamam was suspended for bringing the game into disrepute.

Last month the ICC overturned the decision and declared the result a draw.

Hair underwent a six-month rehabilitation programme after dropping a racial discrimination claim against the ICC at a London employment tribunal and was reinstated to the elite panel.

Last month he was appointed to a Cricket Australia (CA) four-man mentoring panel for prospective elite umpires.

Hair is currently umpiring a tournament in Toronto between West Indies, Bermuda and Canada.