ICC News Conference

[Lemming]

It is far from common practice for a guy who himself thinks has four good years left, to demand $500,000 to retire, covering loss of earnings.

Spot on OF, it is more like he's stating that he'll get out of everyones' way if the ICC give him a nice pay-packet.

If I were the ICC, I'd assist him in his retirement and hire Bullseye's own Jim Bowen to give him his B.F.H! (Bus fare home!)

[Mr Hutt]

For all those who want to read Hairs emails to the ICC

http://wwwc4.cricinfo.com/engvpak/co...ry/257791.html

Like i said all along there is something here which smells faintly of greed for greenback. Obviously Mr hair has something to hide and wants to fade away quietly in the sunset, for all those people who doubted Inzimams and Pakistan's intentions where Mr Hair is concerned this is like a hammer in the face. Offcourse this is only my opinion but if he wanted to retire he couldve done it gracefully, asking for a compensation like this is usually when a person thinks they will pay me to keep my mouth shut on this whole deal, now i really wonder what went on that day at the oval, we should know very soon if the powers to be cant sweep it under the carpet that is!!!! as for Mr Hair i would like to say and im sure a lot of people will now agree Good Riddance!!!

[Occasional Fan]

With respect, Avkar, it is not obvious at all that Darrell has something to hide. And, Lemming, it is actually very common for people to agree to end a contract prematurely for compensation - maybe not for you and me, but certainly in senior management circles of business. And football managers and players do it all the time. It is possible - but we won't know until the inquiries have happened - that Darrell may be in a position because of Sunday's incidents alone whereby he will not be able to continue as a top level umpire (or the ICC will not want him to). But he maintains - with some justification - that he has done nothing more nor less than apply the rules as the ICC requires him to. In that case, he'd be quite justified in seeking compensation to cover his lost earnings over the remainder of his contract period.

As I suggested above, his timing is a bit suspect, and IMO he was ill advised to go into print on this while the jury is still out, as it were. But I don't see anything inherently wrong in him making a pitch.

[Mr Hutt]

Cmon please OC i know you wont agree but this deal stinks from the start... right from when mr fletcher climbed those stairs.. not saying Mr hair was wrong in changing the ball for all we know Pak may have mucked around with it too but for the love of god this person who is on the elite panel of umpires.. fairest of fair is not an angel you make him out to be, he obviously wants a reward for fading away, its what mafiossis call keeping yer trap shut for a lil dough

[Mr Hutt]

"It's hard to see how Darrell Hair can umpire at any future international match. They have made his position untenable now. To imagine he can umpire down the line in international matches is hard to see. It seems extraordinary when you consider that Inzamam-ul-Haq has been charged on two counts - one of ball-tampering, for which nobody can find any evidence, and secondly for bringing the game into disrepute on the back of the first charge. So poor old Inzy finds himself under two charges, but Darrell Hair, after these extraordinary letters, finds himself under no charge whatsoever "
Former England captain and Sky Sports commentator Mike Atherton

"Darrell Hair was probably advised to do what he has done. He was under a huge amount of pressure. It didn't help when he had the Pakistan team saying they wouldn't have Darrell Hair as an umpire again and Bangladesh following suit. It's not the sort of thing you need."
Former England captain Mike Gatting

"It will be very hard for Darrell Hair to umpire at not just international level but also first-class level."
Former England batsman Allan Lamb

"He does what he thinks is right regardless of the consequences. My immediate reaction was 'typical Darrell'."
ICC general manager cricket Dave Richardson

"I am absolutely shocked and stunned to hear what is happening and it all takes some believing. It is a very, very sad time for cricket and there is no doubt our great game has been badly hurt. But as in the past, I am sure it will eventually get over it. It was Darrell's decision to do what he did and it has undoubtedly created problems for him. The hierarchy must make the decision in due course but with that sort of money involved things are looking bad for him. It is looking like the charges are going to be dropped. It is looking in favour of Pakistan now and it is my regret that it ever came to this in the first place."
Dickie Bird, the former Test umpire




is it still not obvious OC or are you the only one who thinks so... with respect offcourse

[Occasional Fan]

You're right. We don't agree. I don't make Darrell out to be an angel - if that comes across, it's not intended. But I don't smell the stink that you sense, Avkar. Let's see what come out of the inquiries.

[Mr Hutt]

the charges OC will now be either dropped or swept under the carpet you cant very well enquire on a teams integrity when the person who accused them asked for a clandestine payment and regarding to what you said earlier about it being a reasonable payment, umpires on the elite panel gat 60000 per year 4 years makes it 240,000 whats the other 260,000 for cuz he is such a cutie? lol i think not what im trying to say is the person accusing Pak of having no integrity has none himself... may be big news to some people but not to me.. sorry

[Occasional Fan]

I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks it is not obvious that Darrell Hair has something to hide. But none of the people you quote says it is, do they? That said, all of them make some points which I agree with.

Originally Posted by Atherton

"It's hard to see how Darrell Hair can umpire at any future international match. They have made his position untenable now.

Don't know whether it's "they" (the ICC) or "he" (Hair). But either way, I think Atherton's first sentence is fair comment. But:

Originally Posted by Atherton

Darrell Hair, after these extraordinary letters, finds himself under no charge whatsoever.

No surprise there: writing an ill-advised letter is not against any rule I've read.

Originally Posted by Gatting

Darrell Hair was probably advised to do what he has done.

Badly advised if that is true. But:

Originally Posted by Gatting

He was under a huge amount of pressure.

True.

Originally Posted by Lamb

It will be very hard for Darrell Hair to umpire at not just international level but also first-class level.

No doubt about it.

Originally Posted by Bird

I am absolutely shocked and stunned to hear what is happening and it all takes some believing. It is a very, very sad time for cricket and there is no doubt our great game has been badly hurt. But as in the past, I am sure it will eventually get over it.

Living in the past, I'm afraid, Dickie. Sure it would have been shocking in your day. Now it's disappointing, but I don't think many people active in the game in this day and age would really be shocked by it. And lastly:

Originally Posted by Bird

It is looking like the charges are going to be dropped.

Eh? Where does that come from, Dickie? There's no sign of it in the papers I've been reading.

Lots of opinion; lots of good points; some bad points. But in the end, just hot air. Again I say it: let's hear the inquiries' findings in due course. Unlike you, Avkar, I don't think there's a chance of this being brushed under any carpet. The fact that you and I (and thousands of other cricket fans all over the world) are talking about it like this demands that an inquiry happens. As for the difference between $240k and $500k, don't get too hung up on it - it's a bargaining position, nothing more. If Hair is let go, he'll get some compensation. It'll be more than his salary would have been, probably, and less than the number he first thought of, almost certainly. That's the way these things happen. And "clandestine letters"? Well, yes - just the same as mine are when I write to my employer. One man's confidential is another man's clandestine, maybe?

[Mr Hutt]

just like one mans ball tampering is another mans great swing bowling, by the way you still havent told me what it is like to live in prague!!!

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks it is not obvious that Darrell Hair has something to hide. But none of the people you quote says it is, do they? That said, all of them make some points which I agree with.

I don't think it's obvious either.

If he felt resignation was the only way to go, after implementing a rule which he thought was right, and was well within his rights as an umpire to do so, causes so much trouble. Then I think he has a point of asking for the remainder of his contract to be paid up.