Willey welcomes Hair return

Darrell Hair

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Umpires Association chairman Peter Willey has backed the International Cricket Council's decision to restore Darrell Hair to the elite panel of officials.

The 55-year-old had been removed from the panel by the ICC, which meant he could not umpire in games involving Test-playing countries.

That followed the abandonment of the Test between England and Pakistan at the Brit Oval in August 2006, when Pakistan refused to take the field after being penalised five runs for ball-tampering.

But Hair has now been reinstated and former Test umpire Willey believes that justice has been done after defending the decision of Hair and Billy Doctrove to abandon the Test.

Willey said: "I think everyone felt for Darrell as an umpire really. He did what he thought was right.
"I am glad he has come back, I hope he does well and has a long future as a Test umpire.

"I've always found him an honest man and a good umpire. He is a strong umpire.”