LONDON, Aug 25: Former England captain Michael Atherton, lashing out at the ICC on Friday, said it was “extraordinary” that Hair had not been charged with any offence by the cricket’s governing body. Referring to the ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed’s press conference here on Friday, Atherton said: Speed's exact words were 'not sacked', 'not suspended' and 'he (Hair) has not been charged',” Atherton told Sky Sports.

“It seems extraordinary when you consider that Inzamam-ul-Haq has been charged on two counts - one of ball-tampering, for which nobody can find any evidence, and secondly for bringing the game into disrepute on the back of the first charge.

“So poor old Inzy finds himself under two charges, but Darrell Hair, after these extraordinary letters (which carried the 500,000 dollars offer), finds himself under no charge whatsoever.”

Atherton, whose own career survived the 'dirt in the pocket affair' in a Test against South Africa at Lord's in 1994 where television showed him rubbing dirt into the ball, said he thought Hair's time as a top-level umpire was over.

“It is hard to see how Darrell Hair can umpire at any future international match. They have made his position untenable now. To imagine he can umpire down the line in international matches is hard to see.”—AFP