Hair in line to take up new job of assessor of umpires

London, Aug 30 (UNI) Under-fire Australian umpire Darrell Hair could be considered for a new job next summer as an assessor of first-class umpires in England, a British daily claimed today.

Peter Willey, the chairman of the umpires' association, told The Times if Hair was no longer involved in Test cricket, he could be added to the four or five candidates selected by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Willey's statement came in the backdrop of the decision to withdraw Hair from officiating in a Second XI match involving Derbyshire and Gloucestershire at Chesterfield today to avoid further media attention.

Willey has given his backing to a proposal by the ECB that umpires should be assessed during county matches in the same way that referees are in football and rugby.

An assessor would act as a form of coach and his views would go alongside those in the captains' report, Willey said.

Hair, who had planned to umpire first class matches in England before becoming embroiled in the ball-tampering row, is on the ECB's reserve list.

A new position as an assessor would provide Hair with the anonymity that he would not be afforded even in a second XI fixture.

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