Ross Emerson has been axed from the Australian Cricket Board's international umpiring panel.

National Umpire Manager Tony Crafter informed Emerson this week that he was one of three umpires (the other two umpires being Terry Prue and Tony McQuillan) that had been dropped from the umpire panel this week where the Australian Cricket Board reduced its international panel from eight to just five.

45 year old Emerson had never umpired a test match, but did umpire 10 ODIs, 13 OD Domestics and 49 first class games.

Emerson did not seem surprised at the situation (as he was the center of attention for no-balling Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan) but was disappointed knowing that his chance of regaining his past umpiring position at world class level would be near impossible.

Emerson said, ``Test matches are the pinnacle, but I'm not hopeful. However, I don't have any intention of retiring. I still want to umpire first-class cricket and still believe I am capable of umpiring at the highest level.''

The five-man panel selected by the Australian Cricket Board for the 1999/2000 season to stand in Tests and one-day internationals at home is: Steve Davis, Darrell Hair, Daryl Harper, Peter Parker and Simon Taufel.