Inzamam has no plans to appear for Hair case

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has ruled out appearing in an employment tribunal hearing the racial discrimination suit by Australian umpire Darrell Hair against the International Cricket Council.   

Inzamam, who has been summoned by Hair's legal counsel for the London hearing as a witness, was one of the main characters in the Oval test last year which eventually led to Hair being released from the ICC elite panel of umpires.   

"No I don't have any immediate plans to go and appear before the tribunal. I am busy right now preparing for the second test against South Africa," Inzamam said. "Then I have other plans as well and will decide about the tribunal appearance later on," he said.   

Inzamam and his team were charged with ball tampering by Hair and fellow umpire West Indian Billy Doctrove in the Oval test which led to the Pakistanis protesting and refusing to continue play.    The match was awarded to England by Hair but later an ICC adjudicator cleared Pakistan of ball tampering charges but banned Inzamam for four matches for bringing the game into disrepute.   

The fall-out of the Oval incident was that the ICC executive board later in the year released Hair from the elite panel of umpires. Inzamam was served the summons to appear before the tribunal while playing for Yorkshire in England last month. Inzamam said he would consult his lawyers.