Cricket: NZ umpire caught in Hair row

New Zealander Doug Cowie has found himself at the centre of an increasingly litigious storm over Darrell Hair's umpiring future.

Cowie, the International Cricket Council's umpires manager, first raised eyebrows by responding to Hair's initial request for a secret US$500,000 payout with the observation that the idea may have merit.

But the 59-year-old former test umpire has been dropped in even murkier waters by Hair, who last night said he was encouraged to make the offer in writing after an extended conversation with Cowie last Monday.

Hair's claim is supported by the email chain released at the weekend by the ICC, in which his first message, entitled "The Way Forward", begins with the words: "Doug, just to firm up what we discussed earlier this evening."

The implication is that Hair could hardly be blamed for making the offer to the ICC if that organisation, or a spokesman working on its behalf, invited him to table it in writing.

Hair further said that the figure of US$500,000 was in line with those canvassed with the ICC.

The news of Cowie's contribution has dismayed ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, although he last night offered a cautious endorsement of the New Zealander's future.

The ICC boss said Cowie - new to his manager's role - now regretted his response.

"I think if Doug could play it again, he would play it differently," said Speed. "When it [Hair's offer] came to me, I saw that not for one second could we contemplate it. At no time did I ever consider paying Darrell any amount."

And Speed rejected Hair's claim that Cowie initiated the idea of resigning for money.

"I do not believe there was a discussion about money," he said.

"There was a discussion instigated by Darrell. What was his future? Could he continue umpiring?"

Speed conceded on BBC's Radio Five Sportsweek programme that he wasn't sure whether Hair could survive the fallout from the release of the email messages, and the subsequent questions over his judgment.

"Darrell survived [the Murali throwing affair] and has become a better umpire, he is one of the world's best umpires, so I hope we can find a way for him to continue - but I'm not sure that that will happen."