Post by Liam O'Reilly on Aug 22, 2006 17:47:47 GMT
Under-fire umpire Darrell Hair has received some much-needed backing from former Australia skipper Steve Waugh.
Waugh, a Test veteran of 168 caps, stood by the integrity of Hair, who is a central figure in the forfeited fourth Test between England and Pakistan.
Standing in his 71st Test, the umpire collaborated with fellow official Billy Doctrove to penalise Pakistan for ball tampering, an accusation the tourists fervently rejected as they refused to return to the field after tea.
As a result, the Test was awarded to England - a decision Waugh completely advocates.
"I definitely agree with that, if they don't go back on the field the Test is over," the Australian legend told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"No one's bigger than the game."
The repercussions of Hair's part in the course of events have been overwhelming, with the PCB demanding the umpire never stands in another Pakistan fixture.
Ill-feeling already existed between the two camps before the current tour, after Inzamam-ul-Haq was controversially run out under Hair's stewardship during England's visit in 2005.
Sri Lanka have also expressed their displeasure at the umpire's reading of Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, but Waugh insists there are no hidden agendas attached to the 53-year-olds' decisions.
"He always stands by what he believes so you can't ask for much more from an umpire," stated Waugh.
An ICC hearing has been set for Friday in order to determine the root cause for Sunday's farce, which saw a packed Oval crowd robbed of an afternoon's play.
Waugh, a Test veteran of 168 caps, stood by the integrity of Hair, who is a central figure in the forfeited fourth Test between England and Pakistan.
Standing in his 71st Test, the umpire collaborated with fellow official Billy Doctrove to penalise Pakistan for ball tampering, an accusation the tourists fervently rejected as they refused to return to the field after tea.
As a result, the Test was awarded to England - a decision Waugh completely advocates.
"I definitely agree with that, if they don't go back on the field the Test is over," the Australian legend told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"No one's bigger than the game."
The repercussions of Hair's part in the course of events have been overwhelming, with the PCB demanding the umpire never stands in another Pakistan fixture.
Ill-feeling already existed between the two camps before the current tour, after Inzamam-ul-Haq was controversially run out under Hair's stewardship during England's visit in 2005.
Sri Lanka have also expressed their displeasure at the umpire's reading of Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, but Waugh insists there are no hidden agendas attached to the 53-year-olds' decisions.
"He always stands by what he believes so you can't ask for much more from an umpire," stated Waugh.
An ICC hearing has been set for Friday in order to determine the root cause for Sunday's farce, which saw a packed Oval crowd robbed of an afternoon's play.