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Darrell Hair, the most contentious cricket umpire in recent decades, has resigned from the ICC’s elite umpire’s panel to take on a teaching role in Australia.
The 55-year-old Hair will become executive officer at the New South Wales Umpires and Scorers Association from September 1, but is contracted to the International Cricket Council until October 31.
“He has tended his resignation to us within the past month,” ICC spokesman Brian Murgatroyd told The Associated Press on Friday.
“He is under contract until the end of October and has got other opportunities.”
Hair, who has officiated at the first-class level for 20 years, was also appointed last month to Cricket Australia’s high performance panel, which is designed to act as mentors to officials coming through its ranks.
He was only reinstated to the ICC’s elite list in March after a 16-month ban following the forfeited Test between England and Pakistan at the Oval in August 2006 — a result that was overturned last month. But he has only officiated two of his 78 career Tests since returning.
Considered in Australia to be a stickler for the rules, his strict interpretations have caused a furore and allegations of bias in Asia.
In 1995, Hair called Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan repeatedly for a suspect bowling action. He subsequently did not officiate a match featuring Sri Lanka for eight years – even though the ICC officially stated that no country can dictate which umpires officiate their matches.
The ICC cleared Muralitharan of chucking and revised its rules on bowling actions. Muralitharan is now the leading all-time wicket taker in Test cricket.
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