Darrell Hair

Calcutta: Darrell Hair has been reinstated as an umpire by the International Cricket Council (ICC). “The board has decided that he would be appointed to umpire matches involving full member teams,” an ICC statement said.

Hair has not officiated in a major match since the infamous Oval Test in 2006, when Pakistan refused to play amid suggestions of ball-tampering. Hair accused Pakistan of ball tampering and, when the team refused to take the field after a break, he and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove awarded the forfeit.

The Australian umpire, who is white, was angered by the fact that he was banned while black umpire Doctrove largely escaped censure.

Hair was suspended after demands from the Pakistan Cricket Board. He began a racial discrimination claim against cricket’s governing body but dropped the case and has since been on an ICC rehabilitation programme.

Hairwill now be available to resume as an official in both forms of the game at international level. He has since officiated in one-dayers involving non Test-playing countriesand is contracted to the ICC until March 2009.

The ICC also gave its stamp of approval to the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).

Announcing a host of decisions at the end of two-day meeting of the executive board, president-elect David Morgan said IPL was official cricket just like the county championship in England whereas ICL was unofficial as it was not approved by the BCCI.

The board has agreed upon an official policy regarding the IPL. The board stressed that the concept of nation-versus-nation cricket was the lifeblood of members and this must always be given the highest possible priority. In order to maintain that position, it was agreed that the BCCI, as the owner of the IPL, would sign a standard-form contract with all of the ICC members reflecting the following principles:

Each ICC member will have an unfettered right in its absolute discretion to lodge an objection to a player from its country playing in the IPL.

This objection can be lodged up to two years after that player’s retirement.

All such objections will be respected by the IPL and its various franchises and the player in question will not be selected to play.

Bilateral commitments of members will take precedence over IPL fixtures

IPL will introduce a code of conduct, an anti-corruption code and an anti-doping code that comply with ICC regulations.

No request has been made by the IPL or BCCI to adjust the ICC Future Tours Programme to accommodate IPL matches. The ICC will monitor IPL’s progress over the next few years.

The ICC board has decided upon a 14-team format for the next World Cup in 2011 which will be held in Pakistan, Bangladesh , India and Sri Lanka . The event will be held over a significantly shorter period than the previous one. The detailed format, venues and schedule will be finalised in due course.

The ICC board also approved the trial of the increased use of technology by umpires. The trial will involve a system whereby players can request that umpiring decisions be reviewed by the TV umpire.

As regards the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, it was decided that the event will go ahead as planned from September 11-28 in three venues across the country, which will be finalised in due course.