Hair returns with focus on improved communication

Australian umpire Darrell Hair has said that his time away from top-level cricket caused him plenty of stress, but he returned with a new focus on improved communication.

Melbourne, Mar 21 : Australian umpire Darrell Hair has said that his time away from top-level cricket caused him plenty of stress, but he returned with a new focus on improved communication.

"Well, it caused me a lot of stress. I suppose it caused a lot of people some stress along the way," Hair said.

"The laws now have been changed to take those decisions out of the hands of the umpires and I fully support the way that that's going to happen in future. So, it's time to move on," he added.

"Every day in life, you like to pick up something and move forward, so I won't say my whole attitude to umpiring has changed, but I think I have picked up a few things that are going to be very helpful to me in the future," Hair said.

After studying at Sydney University as part of his "rehabilitation", Hair was restored this week by the International Cricket Council as a Test and one-day international umpire despite heavy criticism from Pakistan.

Hair was dumped from the ICC's elite panel in November 2006 for his role at the Oval three months earlier, when Pakistan became the first team to forfeit a Test, the age.com.au reported.

Pakistan refused to return to the field in protest at being penalised for alleged ball tampering and England being awarded five extra runs.

ICC general manager Dave Richardson said the sport's world governing body would be sensitive to the issue of the Pakistan Cricket Board's frosty relationship with Hair.

"We would have to take a sensible approach. We will probably keep him away from Pakistan matches where we can," he said.

ANI