Cricket Shorts Hair sues ICC and PCB

LONDON – Umpire Darrell Hair is suing both the International Cricket Council and the Pakistan cricket authorities (PCB), claiming racial discrimination after he was prevented from appearing at Test matches, the BBC reported yesterday.

Though Hair’s contract as a top official is till 2008, he is now only allowed to officiate for matches between non-Test nations and he believes he is being wrongfully targeted following the ball-tampering row during the forfeited Oval Test last summer between England and Pakistan. However Billy Doctrove, who was also involved in the same match, has already returned to his umpiring duties.PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf claimed he was aghast when told of what Hair intended to do by his lawayer.Sri Lankan players given green COLOMBO – Sri Lankan cricket authorities have agreed to release their star players for the forthcoming English domestic season, a top official said yesterday.K.Mathivanan, secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee, said the latest request to play abroad had come from wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who would appear for Warwickshire.ICC ruling boost for Symonds BRISBANE – Star all-rounder Andrew Symonds is set to be named in Australia’s World Cup squad after being thrown a selection lifeline by the International Cricket Council.Symonds seemed certain to miss the World Cup after undergoing surgery on Sunday to repair a torn bicep tendon.He was expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.However, the ICC ruled on Tuesday night that Symonds could be named in Australia’s 15-man squad but later replaced if he fails to regain fitness.Ronchi smashes fastest one-day century SYDNEY – Western Australia’s Luke Ronchi smashed the fastest ever century in Australian domestic one-day cricket when he reached three figures in 56 balls yesterday.The 25-year-old wicketkeeper, who had never previously scored a hundred in a one-day game, broke the record held by his teammate Adam Voges during a match against New South Wales in Perth.Voges’s mark had been a century off 62 balls.Ronchi struck 11 fours and, after just 75 minutes at the crease, he brought up his century with his fifth six.He was out shortly afterwards for 105.Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist hit the second fastest hundred in test history, off 57 balls, in the third match of the Ashes series against England in December, also at the WACA ground in Perth.Nampa-Reuters and AFPHowever Billy Doctrove, who was also involved in the same match, has already returned to his umpiring duties.PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf claimed he was aghast when told of what Hair intended to do by his lawayer.Sri Lankan players given green COLOMBO – Sri Lankan cricket authorities have agreed to release their star players for the forthcoming English domestic season, a top official said yesterday.K.Mathivanan, secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee, said the latest request to play abroad had come from wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who would appear for Warwickshire.ICC ruling boost for Symonds BRISBANE – Star all-rounder Andrew Symonds is set to be named in Australia’s World Cup squad after being thrown a selection lifeline by the International Cricket Council.Symonds seemed certain to miss the World Cup after undergoing surgery on Sunday to repair a torn bicep tendon.He was expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.However, the ICC ruled on Tuesday night that Symonds could be named in Australia’s 15-man squad but later replaced if he fails to regain fitness.Ronchi smashes fastest one-day century SYDNEY – Western Australia’s Luke Ronchi smashed the fastest ever century in Australian domestic one-day cricket when he reached three figures in 56 balls yesterday.The 25-year-old wicketkeeper, who had never previously scored a hundred in a one-day game, broke the record held by his teammate Adam Voges during a match against New South Wales in Perth.Voges’s mark had been a century off 62 balls.Ronchi struck 11 fours and, after just 75 minutes at the crease, he brought up his century with his fifth six.He was out shortly afterwards for 105.Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist hit the second fastest hundred in test history, off 57 balls, in the third match of the Ashes series against England in December, also at the WACA ground in Perth.Nampa-Reuters and AFP