Saturday, September 2 2006 12:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: International Cricket Council says it never considered paying out Darrell Hair the sum of USD 500,000 as compensation for his stepping down from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.

Hair had written to ICC Umpires and Referees manager on Tuesday offering his resignation in return for the hefty sum as a secret one-time payment in the follow-up to the Oval Test controversy.

The ICC says there had been informal discussions with Hair before he made the offer but the dialogue never reached a point where any amount as payment was discussed.

"There were many informal discussions between Hair and Cowie between the end of the Oval Test and Hair's first email on Tuesday, including a discussion on the potential impact on Hair's umpiring career," ICC says in a statement.

"Cowie's role was to support and counsel Hair, as his manager, at a difficult time and it is our understanding that at no stage during their conversations was there any discussion of a pay-off, nor secrecy, nor deadlines, nor misleading the public regarding reasons for retirement - all of which were subsequently laid out in Hair's email." The ICC also says no other staff member of its discussed any of the above-mentioned issues with Hair.

"We have no desire to be in conflict with Hair. He is one of the world's best umpires and we have no doubt that he was under a great deal of stress when he sent the emails that he later revoked."

"There remain two simple cricket matters arising from the Oval Test to be resolved and we look forward to the effective resolution of these matters and the resumption of on-field action," the ICC says.