SYDNEY, Nov 18: One of Australia's largest umpiring associations has publicly criticised the International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to sack Darrell Hair from the elite panel of umpires.

The NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (NSWCUSA), of which Hair is a life member, ran a full page advertisement in a Sydney newspaper on Saturday, describing the ICC's decision as a travesty of justice.

“The decision to remove Darrell from the Elite Panel of umpires has clearly not been taken -- and cannot be justified -- on grounds related to his ability as an umpire,” NSWCUSA chairman Tim Donahoo wrote in an open letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.

“The sole reason for this pre-emptive action can only be interpreted as a need to appease the Pakistan Cricket Board ... who have been noisily critical of Hair for some time, presumably because he is known as a 'no-nonsense' umpire who actually does what he is paid to do.”

The association's public attack on the ICC came just a week after Australia's top cricket official demanded an explanation from the ICC over its decision and readers of Wisden cricket magazine voted Hair as the second best umpire in the world.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the ICC's decision, which has divided world cricket, had undermined public confidence in umpires and an urgent review was required into the procedures used to oust him.

Hair was sacked earlier this month after Pakistan lodged a complaint over his role in the forfeited test against England and the ICC voted 7-3 to remove him.

The decision was largely applauded in the subcontinent but drew an angry response in Australia, with former players describing the move as “tragic” and “disgusting”.

Sections of the Australian media complained that the decision would have serious long-term repercussions for the game because umpires would be frightened of making decisions that offended the Asian bloc nations. —Reuters