It's 'a point of no return for Hair'

ICC Chief Malcolm Speed says the Australian umpire's career might be over after Oval Test.

International Cricket Council Chief Executive Malcolm Speed has said Australian umpire Darrell Hair's international career might be over as a fallout of the Oval Test controversy.

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Speed said that Hair, unlike in the past when he "survived" many controversies and continued to stand in international matches, might have crossed the point of no return this time.

"There have been other issues in his umpiring career where people have said 'this is the end for Darrell Hair' - Darrell survived that and has become a better umpire ... So I hope we can find a way for him to continue but I'm not sure that will happen," 'Cricinfo' quoted Speed as saying on BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

Hair offered to quit as ICC Elite umpire for a payment of $500,000 following the ball-tampering row which lead to Pakistan forfeiting their final Test against England last on Sunday.

Speed had said during the media conference while making public Hair's offer on Friday that no action would be taken on the Australian.

He, however, said he would like to see Hair continue. "That (terminating Hair) is not my wish, I hope we can find a way for him to continue. I would like Darrell Hair to continue umpiring in cricket matches at the top level."

Speed said Doug Cowie, ICC Umpires and Referees manager, regretted his initial response to Hair. Cowie had replied to Hair on August 22: "Your offer may have merit and is acknowledged and under discussions with the ICC management."

"That was Doug Cowie's response and I think if he could play it again he would play it differently," Speed said.

"When it came to me I saw that not for one second could we contemplate it. At no time did I ever consider paying Darrell any amount."

Speed said it was up to the ICC adjudicator to decide whether Hair's actions affected the charges against Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute.

Inzamam refused to take field in the post-tea session after Hair and his colleague Billy Doctrove's decision to penalise them five runs for ball-tampering.