KEY POINTS:
Controversial umpire Darrell Hair is back in the big time.
The big Australian got the tick to return as a test and ODI umpire at an International Cricket Council executive board meeting in Dubai this week.
The blunt-talking Hair was dumped from the ICC's elite panel in November 2006 for his role in the first case of a team forfeiting a test. Pakistan refused to return to the field in protest at the umpires' decision to penalise them for alleged ball tampering against England at The Oval.
"Darrell Hair is a good, competent umpire and his position will be reviewed after March 31, 2009 as is the case with other umpires at the end of their contracts," ICC president-elect David Morgan said, adding it had been a unanimous decision to reinstate Hair.
Hair dropped a race discrimination claim against the ICC last October, as his colleague in that test, West Indian Billy Doctrove, had been able to continue his career.
The 55-year-old, who has officiated in 76 tests, has been umpiring lesser fixtures in the interim and has undergone what the ICC calls a "rehabilitation" programme, without being specific about what that entailed.
Pakistani officials are unimpressed by the reinstatement. "This is shocking news," Shahayar Khan, former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board said. "He should never have been reinstated after committing so many gross irregularities during the Oval test."
In other ICC developments:
* The 2011 World Cup, to be hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, has been trimmed from 16 to 14 teams, after heavy criticism of last year's unwieldy and dreary event in the Caribbean.
The 10 test-playing nations will be joined by the semifinalists from the cup qualifying tournament in Dubai next year.
* The meeting confirmed countries can veto their players appearing in the Indian Premier League. Nation vs nation cricket "must always be given the highest possible priority", the ICC added.
It has agreed a contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who oversee the IPL, that countries have discretion to lodge an objection to its players playing in the IPL. It can be lodged up to two years after a players' retirement.
The ICC said it will monitor the IPL's progress and work with the BCCI to "ensure that it works in harmony with international cricket".
* The Champions Trophy will be staged in three cities in Pakistan from September 11-28, providing security concerns which led to Australia's tour being postponed this month have been allayed.
The ICC will conduct a security review in June before giving the final go-ahead.
* The England-South Africa series starting in July will be a trial of the umpiring referral system, whereby players can appeal umpiring decisions to the third official. Both countries' boards must give their approval before it is confirmed.
