Australian Tri-Series 2012 LIVE

India, Sri Lanka, Australia Commonwealth Bank Series

The India vs Australia series will be followed by a Tri-nation Commonwealth Bank Series, which includes Sri Lanka.
Details about live telecast and online streaming.

ICC Cricket Umpires: Darrel Hair | Steve Bucknor

ICC Umpires and referees

The ICC appoints international umpires and referees who officiate at all sanctioned Test matches and One-day Internationals. The umpires are sponsored by Emirates Airline, whose sponsorship contribution pays for the umpires' fees and costs. The ICC operates 3 panels of umpires: namely the Elite Panel, the International Panel, and the Associates and Affiliates Panel.
As of April 2006, the Elite Panel includes ten umpires. In theory, two umpires from the Elite Panel officiate at every Test match, whilst one Elite Panel umpire stands in ODI matches together with an umpire from the International Panel. In practice, members of the International Panel stand in occasional Test matches, as this is viewed as a good opportunity to see whether they can cope at the Test level, and whether they should be elevated to the Elite Panel. The Elite Panel are full-time employees of the ICC, although do still, very occasionally umpire first-class cricket in their country of residence. The average, annual, officiating schedule for Elite Umpires is 12 Test matches and 15 ODIs, a potential on-field workload of 75 days per year.
The International Panel is made up of officials nominated from each of the ten Test-playing cricket boards. The Panel Members officiate in ODI matches in their home country, and assist the Elite Panel at peak times in the cricket calendar when they can be appointed to overseas ODI and Test matches. International Panel members also undertake overseas umpiring assignments such as the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup (and will be heavily involved in the umpiring of the 2007 Cricket World Cup) in order to improve their knowledge and understanding of overseas conditions, and help them prepare for possible promotion onto the Elite Panel. Each of the Test cricket boards nominates a "third umpire" who can be called upon to review certain on-field decisions through instant television replays. All third umpires are first-class umpires in their own county, and the role is seen as a step onto the International Panel, and then the Elite Panel.
The newest panel of umpires, set up in February 2005, is the Associates and Affiliates Umpires Panel. It was designed to offer a pathway to top level umpiring for officials from the ICC's 82 Associate and Affiliate Member countries. As of January 2005, it has 10 members (none of whom umpire first-class cricket) from countries such as Nepal and Fiji. It is planned that these umpires will officiate at the ICC Trophy and the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup and could even be invited to be involved in the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Cricket World Cup.
There is also a Panel of Elite Referees who act as the independent representative of the ICC at all Test and ODI matches. As of January 2005, it has 7 members, all highly experienced former international cricketers. The Referees do not have the power to report players or officials (which has to be done by the umpires), but they are responsible for conducting hearings under the ICC Code of Conduct and imposing penalties as required at matches, ranging from an official reprimand to a lifetime ban from cricket. Decisions can be appealed, but the original decision is upheld in most cases.

ICC Umpires and referees

ICC Umpires and referees News

Bucknor reaches landmark at Champions Trophy

ICC Champions Trophy clash between India and Australia in Mohali is a massive game for both sides as only one of them can progress to the semifinals.
But for one of the people at the centre of the action the match has a degree of personal significance, whatever the result. For umpire Steve Bucknor, it is his 150th ODI and he becomes only the third official in the history of the game to reach that milestone, following in the footsteps of David Shepherd and Rudi Koertzen. The list for most appearances by an umpire in ODIs looks like this: 172 - David Shepherd, 156 - Rudi Koertzen, 150* - Steve Bucknor, 126 -Daryl Harper, 124 - Darrell Hair, 107 - David Orchard,100 - Steve Dunne. It all started for Bucknor the international cricket umpire back in March 1989 when he stood in his first ODI, the match between the West Indies and India in Antigua.
The home side, led by Vivian Richards, won that match by eight wickets thanks to 117 from Gordon Greenidge and four wickets from Ian Bishop. Bucknor quickly established his reputation as a high-class official and after being named as one of the umpires for the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup in Australasia he went on to stand in the final when Pakistan beat England to lift the trophy in Melbourne. It was the first of four successive final appearances for Bucknor, a figure no other umpire can match.

Darrell Hair not to officiate in ICC Champions Trophy

Controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair will not officiate in the Champions Trophy in India next month, the International Cricket Council announced on Thursday. After weeks of speculation on whether Hair would be included in the umpires' panel for Champions Trophy in the wake of the Oval Test fiasco, ICC said Hair had been left out due to "safety and security concerns". Tournament hosts India had demanded on Tuesday that the ICC omit Hair as his presence might provoke spectators. The ICC announcement came after a disciplinary hearing found Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq "not guilty" of ball tampering, a charge laid by Hair during the Oval Test. An indignant Hair said he wished to continue on with umpiring seconds after an ICC spokesman revealed that he had been withdrawn from the Champions Trophy.

Darrell Hair back for Champions Trophy

Darrell Hair, the umpire at the centre of the Pakistan forfeit debacle at The Oval in August is expected to return to international cricket at the ICC Champions Trophy next month.
The official, whose career appeared to be on the line after accusing Pakistan of ball tampering and awarding the 4th Test to England, seemed to have put that drama behind him ahead of the one-day tournament in India. The news of Hair's imminent return is sure to outrage Pakistan players and officials, as it comes a week before Inzamam-ul Haq's ICC hearing which will look into the ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute charges leveled by Hair in England. Facing a ban of 2-4 Tests or 4-8 one-day matches if found guilty, Inzamam has been retained as captain by Pakistan for the Champions Trophy tournament. The International Cricket Council has thrown its support behind Hair ahead of Inzamam's hearing and the Champions Trophy.