Eyes_Only
International Debutant
Found this on Foxsports.com.au
What do you guys think?
Eyes
Court bid to stop umpire
By Roger Martin
January 10, 2003
A SRI Lankan-born Australian said he would go to the High Court to stop Darrell Hair from officiating in games involving spinner Muttiah Muralitharan after the Federal Court refused to ban the umpire from taking to the field.
Viji De Alwis claims Hair is biased against Muttiah Muralitharan because the umpire wrote a book in which he described the spinner's action as diabolical. Mr De Alwis says Hair's fairness, judgment and balance have to be called into question.
"Justice must not only be done, but undoubtedly and manifestly be seen to be done," Mr De Alwis told the Federal Court yesterday.
"By saying what (Hair) said in his autobiography, he has disqualified himself."
Hair no-balled Muralitharan seven times in three overs during the 1995 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. In his autobiography, released in 1998, Hair said he would have no hesitation in no-balling the off-spinner again.
Although Hair has umpired in Sri Lankan games this summer, Muralitharan has been absent due to injury.
The spinner returned to action against Australia at the SCG yesterday, but Hair's only role in the match was as the television umpire.
Mr De Alwis claimed Hair had breached the disability discrimination provisions of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act by no-balling Muralitharan.
Muralitharan has a deformity in his right arm that prevents him from fully straightening it, which can give the impression he is throwing the ball.
But Federal Court judge Robert French refused to grant the injunction, and labelled the action as "nonsensical".
"My view on having read these papers is it is a complete and utter waste of time," Justice French said. "Nobody's time should be wasted dealing with nonsense just because it appears on a court form."
Outside the court, Mr De Alwis vowed to appeal the ruling and take his fight to the High Court if necessary.
Mr De Alwis has previously given legal advice to the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, but said he was taking this action simply as a spectator and supporter of the team.
The Australian
What do you guys think?
Eyes
Court bid to stop umpire
By Roger Martin
January 10, 2003
A SRI Lankan-born Australian said he would go to the High Court to stop Darrell Hair from officiating in games involving spinner Muttiah Muralitharan after the Federal Court refused to ban the umpire from taking to the field.
Viji De Alwis claims Hair is biased against Muttiah Muralitharan because the umpire wrote a book in which he described the spinner's action as diabolical. Mr De Alwis says Hair's fairness, judgment and balance have to be called into question.
"Justice must not only be done, but undoubtedly and manifestly be seen to be done," Mr De Alwis told the Federal Court yesterday.
"By saying what (Hair) said in his autobiography, he has disqualified himself."
Hair no-balled Muralitharan seven times in three overs during the 1995 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. In his autobiography, released in 1998, Hair said he would have no hesitation in no-balling the off-spinner again.
Although Hair has umpired in Sri Lankan games this summer, Muralitharan has been absent due to injury.
The spinner returned to action against Australia at the SCG yesterday, but Hair's only role in the match was as the television umpire.
Mr De Alwis claimed Hair had breached the disability discrimination provisions of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act by no-balling Muralitharan.
Muralitharan has a deformity in his right arm that prevents him from fully straightening it, which can give the impression he is throwing the ball.
But Federal Court judge Robert French refused to grant the injunction, and labelled the action as "nonsensical".
"My view on having read these papers is it is a complete and utter waste of time," Justice French said. "Nobody's time should be wasted dealing with nonsense just because it appears on a court form."
Outside the court, Mr De Alwis vowed to appeal the ruling and take his fight to the High Court if necessary.
Mr De Alwis has previously given legal advice to the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, but said he was taking this action simply as a spectator and supporter of the team.
The Australian
