11 Mar 2010

Top umpire Harper misses Twenty20 cut

9:33 am on 11 March 2010

The Australian cricket umpire Daryl Harper won't officiate during the upcoming twenty20 world cup in the Caribbean, despite being one of world cricket's elite umpires.

The ICC, cricket's global governing body, says Harper had been omitted after an expert panel concluded his general performance did not merit selection for the event.

The ICC says he hasn't been dropped because of his controversial role during the fourth Test between South Africa and England in Johannesburg, where he gave South Africa captain Graeme Smith not out on a caught behind review.

Smith went on to score a century that led the Proteas to a series-levelling victory.

Harper is the only official on the ICC's elite panel, which is made up of 11 international umpires, to miss making the 13-strong list.