Controversial Hair back

Umpire Darrell Hair has been appointed to officiate in next week's one-day series in Kenya - his first assignment since August's forfeited Oval Test. Fellow World Cup qualifiers Scotland and Canada face the hosts in Mombasa.

World cricket heads decided in November not to appoint Hair for games involving Test nations, after his ball-tampering charge against Pakistan was not proven. "The ICC said Hair would not officiate in any assignments featuring its full members," said a spokesman. "The tri-series in Mombasa does not feature any ICC full members."

Australian Hair's contract as an elite umpire runs until March 2008, but he will not be offered a new one. Former India pace bowler Javagal Srinath will be the match referee for the series, in which Ian Gould of England and Buddhi Pradhan of Nepal are the other on-field umpires.

Billy Doctrove, who stood alongside Hair at The Oval but received less blame for the controversy, saw his first action in the current Test between South Africa and Pakistan. - BBC