The events at the Oval last month have fuelled much cricketing debate. Why did it happen? How did it come to the point where the Pakistan side refused to take the field again? Are they a victimised cricketing nation? Is Darrell Hair an officious cold hearted racist or a sole defender of the game’s values?

Well today’s post hearing press conference should have given us a great insight into some truths about what happened and how the ICC intends preventing such farcical scenes soiling crickets good name ever again. Enevitably however, as is with anything co-ordinated by the ICC, it was a pointless exercise and only served to shroud the whole incident in greater mystery and controversy. Not least by the fact that they announced the suspension of Hair’s umpiring duties for the ICC Champions Trophy moments before the man himself took to the hot seat, after they once again bowed to pressure from the new cricketing bully boys, the Board of Control for Cricket in Indian.

Firstly we had Ranjan Madugalle the ICC’s chief match referee, who was obviously not keen to be in the limelight and dodged questions by saying he was unwilling to comment. His tentative joke about keeping it as brief as his batting said it all.

For what it is worth however I think Mr Madugalle got his decisions pretty close to the mark. With no evidence to support the prosecutions case of ball tampering the only just thing was to find Inzamam, and the whole Pakistan team, not guilty. Maybe Hair should have considered this at the time. He had only a few marks on the ball as evidence. He got it wrong but he has acknowledge that fact now.

Inzamam by his own admission got off lightly. He still maintains he would do the same again but even he thought his ban would be a lengthier one. What has got lost in all of this is that this is seen as a victory for Pakistani people over Darrell Hair the racist umpire. Billy Doctrove, Mike Proctor and the ICC have got off very lightly.

it was obvious that Hair was chomping at the bit to speak his mind and get stuck into a few issues. There was however one over riding problem. His contract prohibited him from speaking about discussions from the hearing or what happened on the pitch. And all Hair could do was reply to every question with: ‘As I’ve already explained I can not answer that’. Great! What a completely pointless press conference.

Hair obviously saw the bizarre humour as he was keen for the questions to keep coming, and laughed along with reporters. Even as reporters re-phrased questions and left boobie-traps in the hope that he would slip up and give them something juicy to report, he dodged and weaved with a smile on his face. They may as well have had a discussion about the weather.

A few vaseline coated tit bits did squeeze through a few gaps in the contract however. Hair is obviously dissatisfied that he is the only umpire under scrutiny. There was also traces of anger that his ill-judged (stupid) email to the ICC was leaked. He could not of course be honest about his employers because of his contract.

So the ICC’s gagging of it’s employees within it’s own little nanny state has left us no closer to discovering the truth, or what lessons have been learnt. Nobody wants to hear umpires bad mouthing everyone that crosses their path and after all this was a hearing containing a disrepute charge, but cricket has always thrived on the characters within it, and how are we suppose to evolve the game for the good as a world wide cricketing fraternity without a bit of honest truth.

Oh sorry I forgot. The ICC will resolve that issue. Just as they did with Zimbabwe and just as they now standing firm against national governing bodies. Madugalle did his job well. Now it’s time for the rest of the ICC to make a difference. I for one will not be holding my breath.

Gruff