Hair's contract as an ICC elite umpire runs until March 2008

Hair has been on the England and Wales Cricket Board's list twice before.

But the ECB said in a statement: "The ECB has been informed by Darrell Hair that he is unable to accept their offer for the forthcoming season."

Reserve umpires are eligible to stand in first-class matches, and can be upgraded to the more senior list.

Most of the umpires for the major county matches are picked from the full list.

Hair is suing the International Cricket Council after being prevented from officiating in Test matches.

The ICC banned him from officiating in matches involving full member countries following the Oval Test debacle in which Hair, together with fellow umpire Billy Doctrove, penalised Pakistan for tampering with the ball.

Pakistan refused to take to the field in protest, leading to a Test match being forfeited for the first time in Test history.

Soon afterwards, Hair offered to resign in return for $500,000.

He is contracted by the ICC until March 2008 and recently umpired in the ICC World Cricket League Division One final between Kenya and Scotland in Nairobi.