Quintus De Zylva, …”Darrell Bruce Hair? To be recalled as an advisor?”
Darrell Hair was dumped when the ICC announced it’s elite panel of umpires in 2002. Rumour has it that moves are a foot to have him re-called as an advisor to the umpires in the forthcoming World Cup 2015. He called Murali for chucking in the 1995 test between Australia and Sri Lanka at the MCG and later with Billy Doctrove he accused the Pakistan captain of ball tampering – an accusation that was dismissed by the ICC.
Murali is now an advisor to the Australian spinners at the request of the ACB. What an irony it would be if Darrell Hair becomes an advisor to the umpires at next year’s World Cup.
Sachithra Senanayake, Kane Williamson and Saeed Ajmal have been suspended from bowling in International cricket whilst Prosper Utseya (Zimbabwe), Sohag Gazi( Bangaldesh) and Al-Amin Hossain (Bangladesh) are to undergo re-testing after remedial action. The Champions League T20 has produced question marks over the bowling of Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan), Sunil Narine (West Indies) and Prenelan Subrayan (Kawazulu Natal Dolphins).
Johan Botha (Sth. Africa) was cited for a suspect action on two occasions. He has suggested that the 15 degree rule be increased to 25 degrees or else elite off-spinners will all be sidelined.
Cricket Australia’s spin coach John Davison was in Sri Lanka recently and he is reported to have said that 90% of bowlers in Sri Lanka bowl spin and 90% of kids coming through would have what he calls “an illegal action”!
Cricket lovers in Australia will long remember the chant “Hair or no Hair – Murali’s balls are fair”.
Thomas Hughes (1822-96) said of cricket “It’s more than a game – it’s an institution”.
Courtesy of Herald Sun
|