Rolling in the mud

Just when you thought things couldn't get any muckier, Darrell Hair writes a letter to the ICC offering to retire in exchange for US$500,000. The letter notes that this payment would not preclude him from taking legal action, civil action or instigating libel suits against "various sections of the electronic and print media ... the ICC ... members of the Pakistan cricket team and the Pakistan Cricket Board." The letter also includes the veiled threat that if this offer is not accepted, then Darrell will insist that the ICC fulfil his contract and that he be allocated future umpiring appointments as per that contract.

Sadly for Darrell, despire requesting that this deal be kept strictly confidential, ICC rules meant that the letter had to be made public. And the ICC are not happy.