Pak media keeps up the pressure

Pakistani anger against Australian cricket umpire Darrell Hair flared for a second day Tuesday, with mass circulation newspapers accusing him of racist behaviour over the ball-tampering row.

In an editorial entitled “It’s not cricket,” The News said Hair “does not have a very good history with Pakistan or Asian teams in general.” It referred to a 1995 controversy in which Hair called Sri Lankan spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan for chucking – or using an illegal bowling action – seven times in a Melbourne Test match.

Another Pakistani daily, The Dawn, said the ICC had previously ignored requests for Hair not to be appointed to Pakistan’s matches because “there is widespread view that Hair is heavily biased… against sub-continental teams, particularly Pakistan and Sri Lanka.”

The Nation, said the events at The Oval “left none with honour and damaged the game immeasurably,” and that ICC should not leave the game “to the whims and biases of mini-Hitlers like Mr Hair.”