Hair sympathises with Bucknor, says 'retire for own good'

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Controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair has sympathised with Steve Bucknor but admitted that the time has come for the beleaguered West Indian official to step down for his own good.

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, while removing Bucknor from the ongoing India-Australia Test series following a string of wrong decisions, compared the instance to the 2006 Oval Test fiasco, which was a result of Hair's ball-tampering charge against the Pakistani team.

Hair said Bucknor should retire to relieve the pressure that has come on him due to the controversy surrounding his decisions in the Sydney Test.

"I feel for Steve... it's probably the best for him to stand down and relieve the pressure a little bit," Hair was quoted as saying by The Age on Wednesday.

The Australian, who was demoted to umpiring at the associate level after a bitter court battle with the ICC, said he was keen to return to top-flight umpiring.

"The desire to come back is strong. I am still working with the ICC at the associate level, and I will be working as an umpiring assessor at the youth World Cup, but I would love to make it back to the top level again," he said.

Hair urged the ICC to introduce a referral system, allowing captains to challenge on-field umpiring decisions, to reduce the pressure on umpires.

"There were a few unfortunate decisions made, and I know for a fact that the people involved would not have enjoyed making such errors."