London, April 29:

Banished umpire Darrell Hair will return to top-level cricket next month when he officiates in two Test matchess between England and New Zealand.

Hair, banned for 16 months by the International Cricket Council for his role in the only forfeited Test in cricket history, will partner Simon Taufel in the second Test in Old Trafford from May 23-27, and with Steve Bucknor in the third Test at Nottingham from June 5-9. Taufel and Bucknor will umpire in the first Test at Lord’s which starts on May 15.

Hair was banned from the ICC’s elite umpiring panel after the forfeited Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval in August 2006. Hair accused Pakistan of ball tampering and, when the team refused to take the field after a break, he and umpire Billy Doctrove forfeited the match to England.