Pak media, cricketers lambast Hair for ball-tampering controversy

Lahore, Aug 21 (UNI) Former Pakistani cricketers and media today lambasted Darrel Hair for being biased against Pakistan and unnecessarily raking up the ball-tampering controversy, with Imran Khan accusing the Aussie umpire of acting like a ''mini Hitler'' and Rameez Raja going to the extent of calling Hair a ''racist''.

The controversy erupted when Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove imposed a five-run penalty on Pakistan for allegdly tampering with the ball.

In his column in The Nation headlined ''Hair the Hitler does it again'' Imran wrote that Hair's brash and provocative manner made him the main culprit in letting things go out of hand.

''Hair is one of those characters when he wears the white umpire's coat, he metamorphoses into a mini Hitler,'' Imran wrote.

''During my career I had seen such umpires who want to make their presence felt on the field. You could say these are umpiring fundamentalists.'' Imran also called for an independent inquiry on Hair and said if it is found that he made the allegation without solid evidence he should be taken off the international panel of umpires.

''Pakistan cricket team should also sue him for defamation unless he offers an unconditional apology,'' the world cup-winning captain said.

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