India File

That is also when the International Cricket Council wants a resolution of yesterday8217;s decision taken at its Christchurch meeting to charge Hair with bringing the game into disrepute.

With Steve Randell facing child sex charges later this year, Daryl Harper is likely to get the World Cup appointment even though he has not officiated outside Australia and only stood in his first two Tests this summer.

ICC chief executive David Richards said yesterday that Hair would be charged for comments in his recent book The Decision Maker.

Hair labelled Muralitharan8217;s bowling action as diabolical and said he would have called two more Sri Lankan bowlers for illegal actions if he had known Australia would later boycott its 1996 World Cup match in Colombo.

That left him open to accusation of not performing his duty. Haircreated worldwide headlines in December 1995 for no-balling Muralitharan seven times in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Umpires are barred from making comments detrimental to the game and Hair could face the same penalty as players, who can be suspended for three Tests or six one-day matches if found guilty.

Hair has already stood down from Sri Lanka8217;s one-day matches here this season to avoid the ACB having to sack him.

The ACB has also deliberately not given Ross Emerson any Sri Lankan games. Emerson called Muralitharan in a one-dayer in Brisbane soon after Hair8217;s rulings.

In Brisbane, Sri Lankan team manager Ranjith Fernando said the controversy over Muralitharan was finished. 8220;The spinner himself would not comment on the possible disciplinary action facing Hair.8221;

News of the charges against Hair filtered into the Sri Lankan dressing room during yesterday8217;s four-wicket one-day loss to England, but the Sri Lankans chose not to speak publicly on the issue.

Warne promises bettershow

SYDNEY: Acting Australian cricket captain Shane Warne has promised a different attitude from his batsmen in tomorrow8217;s tri-series limited-overs cricket match against Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia lost the series opener to England by seven runs in Brisbane on Sunday night, crashing to 48-5 chasing 153 off 36 overs at the Gabba.

8220;In Brisbane I thought we bowled and fielded as good as I can remember but we didn8217;t bat well,8221; Warne said today. 8220;We8217;ve had a couple of meetings and talked about it a fair bit. I8217;m sure there8217;ll be a different attitude in this game.8221;

The teams from 8212; Australia: Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Greg Blewett, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Brendon Julian, Adam Dale, Damien Fleming, Shane Warne captain, Glenn McGrath, Brad Young.

Sri Lanka likely: Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Hashan Tillakeratne, Arjuna Ranatunga captain, Roshan Mahanama, Upul Chandana, Chaminda Vaas, PramodyaWickremasinghe, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Zoysa.