Umpire Darrell Hair will return to top-flight cricket in May when he stands in the second Test between England and New Zealand.

He was removed from the International Cricket Council's (ICC) elite panel after the infamous Oval Test in 2006.

Pakistan refused to continue the game after being accused of ball tampering.

Hair will stand with Simon Taufel in Manchester between 23-27 May and will also officiate in the third Test, with West Indian Steve Bucknor.

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Australian Hair was axed by the ICC in 2006 after the Oval Test became the first in the history of the sport to be forfeited.

Pakistan were furious after being penalised five runs, with England being allowed to select a different ball.

Pakistan refused to resume play after the tea interval on day four and Hair and fellow official Billy Doctrove awarded the match to England.

Pakistan subsequently refused to take part in matches in which Hair was standing, claiming he was biased against teams from the sub-continent, and he has not umpired a Test since.

Hair began a racial discrimination claim against cricket's governing body but dropped the case and then undertook an ICC rehabilitation programme before being recalled to the panel earlier this month.

(BBC)

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