Discuss Bob Woolmers Death HERE only!!! - Page 2

pakistan is free to leave jamaica 😊

i think abb to sab ko yaqeen aa jana chahey key PAKISTANI team is not involved in it..

2 pakistani players are asked to stayed says the local media.

yes i m sure pakistan'steam is not involved!

Trust fund created in South Africa

Academy to be built in honour of Woolmer

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2007



Children from underprivileged communities in South Africa will benefit from the new academy Getty Images




A trust has been created to fund a number of projects in South Africa, including a training academy, in memory of Bob Woolmer, the former Pakistan coach who was murdered last Sunday.

The money raised will fund the creation of a Bob Woolmer Cricket Academy outside Nelspruit in the eastern Mpumalanga province, and to ensure his book on the art and science of cricket gets published.

"The Academy is for the benefit of world cricket not just South African cricket and will be run as a not-for-profit organisation," read a statement. "One of the objectives is that children from underprivileged communities in South Africa will benefit in both a sporting and academic way."

The trust would also aim to provide financial security for his widow Gill, and sons Dale and Russell. Jonty Rhodes, the former South African batsman, was named as one of the trustees.

"Bob Woolmer was one of world cricket's most recognisable characters and servants of the game. Being one of the top coaches in world cricket did not stop him from sharing his skills and philosophies with the emerging cricketers of the world."

The investigation into Woolmer's murder continues.

Cricinfo

Murder charge opens debate over whether tournament should continue

Call off the World Cup - Donald

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2007



Malcolm Speed announced that the show would go on Getty Images



Bob Woolmer's murder has set off a debate over whether the World Cup should be called off. Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, made the opening statement on Thursday, saying the tournament would continue and 'would not be put off by a cowardly criminal act".

"This is not the first time that tragedy has visited a sporting event," Speed said, "but what we must all do now is to show how resolute the game is by proving ourselves strong enough to move on from what has happened."

However, Allan Donald, the former South African fast bowler who played under Woolmer, asked for the World Cup to be called off. "I just don't know how this World Cup can continue under the shadow of what's happened," Donald told BBC Radio Five Live. "World Cup 2007 will be forever remembered for this [Woolmer's murder]. My personal opinion would have been to stop, but knowing Bob he would have wanted this to go ahead.

"I think everyone will continue this World Cup but, at the back of their minds, know that a tragedy took place. I just hope the individuals or individuals are brought to justice because Bob was a great man and would never go to the lengths to put his life in danger."

Goolam Raja, the South African manager, said the team wanted to continue. "He [Donald] does not speak for the team," Raja told Cricinfo. "I think obviously the players are sad over the tragic events and the cause of Bob's death does affect the team, but they want to continue on."

Michael Vaughan echoed Speed's sentiments and said that the World Cup had to continue in spite of the tragedy. "It's a horrific time for world cricket. We all knew what a good bloke Bob was," Vaughan told AFP. "Whatever goes on the field, this incident is a lot bigger because someone's life has been taken away. But I think the World Cup has to go on, the game has to go on. I can understand his [Donald's] emotion and his thoughts there but the best thing for this game is to show it in a great light."

Cricket Australia also strongly agreed that the World Cup should continue while sending their condolences to the Woolmer family. Andrew Symonds also expressed his desire to continue. "The team is obviously sending our heartfelt regrets to his family," he said. "Bob, being a cricket man, I would think that he wouldn't want it to stop. I think he would probably want the games to roll on and the competition to end."

Cricinfo

Routine exercise as part of police probe, says team media officer

DNA testing for Pakistan players

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2007



The Woolmer investigation continues with DNA testing for all Pakistan players Getty Images



Pakistan players and officials will undergo DNA testing following police confirmation that coach Bob Woolmer was strangled. The players had been fingerprinted on Thursday afternoon and Pervez Mir, the media manager, told Reuters that the DNA testing was just a routine exercise to assist the police identify Woolmer's assailant.

"It's one of those routine things they do, at least here in Jamaica as far as I'm informed," Mir said. "It's some sort of a swab that they put in your mouth and then put it in a plastic container. It takes about 25 seconds."

The players were supposed to take the tests the same day they were fingerprinted but instead were allowed to leave Kingston for Montego Bay after spending time with Mark Shields, Jamaica's deputy commissioner of police who is now heading the police investigation.

Cricinfo

Pakistan coach strangled in hotel room

Police hunt Woolmer's murderer

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2007



A post-mortem showed Bob Woolmer was strangled in his Jamaica hotel on Sunday Getty Images



Almost eighteen hours after announcing that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer had indeed been murdered, Jamaica police have yet to make an arrest or name suspects. The Pakistan players and officials will undergo DNA testing after which they are expected to leave the Caribbean for home. The investigators, meanwhile, are keeping the probe open-ended in trying to arrive at possible motives and a definitive picture of how the murder occurred.

During a press conference in Jamaica on Thursday police confirmed Woolmer was strangled in his hotel room on Sunday and that he showed few signs of struggling with his attackers.

"The pathologist's report states that Mr Woolmer's death was due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation," Karl Angell, the police spokesman, said. "In these circumstances, the matter of Mr Woolmer's death is now being treated by the Jamaica police as a case of murder."

Mark Shields, Jamaica's deputy commissioner of police, is now heading the investigation and said there were many lines of inquiry. "Bob is a large man and it would take some significant force to strangle him, but we don't know at this point how many people were in his room," he said. "There was very little evidence of a struggle."

In an interview with BBC Radio, Shields said that it was difficult to believe that the murder could have been committed by a stranger. "It is imperative that we keep an open mind, but I have to say at this stage it looks as if it may be somebody somehow linked to him, because clearly he let somebody into his hotel room and it may be that he knew who that person was."

When asked why it had taken so long to prove the case of strangulation Shields said: "There were no visible signs in this particular case and we had to make sure."

Shields said there was no reason why the Pakistan team would be detained in Jamaica, "but we're ruling nothing out". He said the coroners would decide whether Woolmer's body would be allowed to travel back with the team on Saturday. "I have a meeting with them in morning," Shields said.

Woolmer was pronounced dead at 12.14pm on Sunday, but Shields said "there were no visible signs of life when found". "He went to his room at 8.30pm in the evening and was found by a chamber maid at 10.45am. We don't have a time of death as of now, but I would say it's closer towards the time he was found."

When asked if there were any other injuries Shields said: "There were some other issues around the body which we'll take time to look at and examine."

Vomit and blood was also found in the room, but Shields was still waiting for the toxicology and histology results. "A full forensic examination of the body in the room was done for finger prints," he said. "We have sealed all CCTV records as well as all electronic records. Calls to the room, calls from his mobile all have been checked."

Shields said Scotland Yard, his former employers, had offered its assistance and he would take it "should we need it". Woolmer held a British passport, but split most of his time since taking the Pakistan job living in Lahore and Cape Town.

"We're also in touch with Pakistan and South African police," Shields said. "The ICC has offered us all assistance [with regard to the Anti-Corruption Unit] and we're exploring every avenue."

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, confirmed at the conference the World Cup would continue and they would not be "put off by a cowardly criminal act". "This is not the first time that tragedy has visited a sporting event," Speed said, "but what we must all do now is to show how resolute the game is by proving ourselves strong enough to move on from what has happened."

Meanwhile, Pakistan have announced that a diplomat from Washington will arrive in Jamaica to interact with the police. "We do not have any diplomatic presence in Jamaica and we have decided to send a senior official from our Washington mission to interact with the Caribbean authorities," Tasnim Aslam, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, told AFP. She added that Pakistan's Washington embassy was accredited to handle affairs in Jamaica.

Cricinfo

Ashraf says Woolmer wanted to retire after World Cup

Team to leave on Saturday evening - PCB chief

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2007



Nasim Ashraf said that the Pakistan team had "seen unbelievable stress and trauma" AFP




The Pakistan team is due to leave Jamaica at 6pm on Saturday, Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said, seeking to scotch speculation that the team had been asked to stay back in the West Indies in connection with the Bob Woolmer murder case.

Ashraf, who resigned as the PCB chairman after Pakistan's defeat to Ireland on Saturday, said at a press conference in Islamabad that the team had "seen unbelievable stress and trauma". He said his effort would be to have the team return to Pakistan, where "their families are very perturbed, very anxious".

Ashraf revealed that Woolmer had sent him an email on the morning of his murder on Sunday in which he said he had decided to announce his retirement from coaching after the 2007 World Cup to settle down in Cape Town.

"On the morning after we lost to Ireland, Woolmer had sent me an email [dated March 18] in which he also expressed his great disappointment over the stunning defeat," Ashraf said. "But he still believed his boys tried their best and fought till the last to make the most of the match."

Woolmer's email said: "I would like to praise my association with the Pakistan team but now I would like to announce my retirement after the World Cup to live the rest of my life in Cape Town [South Africa]."

Ashraf said the email's transmission time was 6.00pm last Sunday. "As I was on tour from Sunday, I could not check my email and it was only today [Thursday] that I saw the message from Woolmer." Woolmer, Ashraf said, was not shy of accepting the responsibility of Pakistan's poor show at the World Cup.

Ashraf, whose resignation has not been accepted by Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf, said he had "no lust for the job". "I will not like others to make personal remarks at me," he said. "Professionally, I am open to criticism. I will be ready to continue the job if the president asked me for it."

PTI

Inquest ordered for Woolmer's murder

Cricinfo staff

March 24, 2007



Bob Woolmer's family was informed that his body would be kept in Jamaica till the inquest was over Getty Images



The Jamaican authorities have ordered an inquest to be held for the murder of Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach. Woolmer's family was informed that his body would remain in Jamaica till the inquest was over.

The Jamaican Gleaner reported that according to the Commissioner of Police, Lucius Thomas, the coroner had directed the inquest be held "as soon as possible".

TVJ, a local television channel, reported that Darryn Lifson, the Pakistan team physiotherapist, and Murray Stevenson, the trainer, will stay back in Jamaica till in inquest is completed. "We promised the family to stay until everything is sorted out," Lifson told AFP. "The police informed the family first, then us, with everything, and then we told the team."

Woolmer died on March 18 in his hotel room in Kingston and five days later the cause of his death was confirmed to be asphyxia as a result of manual strangulation. The Pakistan team were fingerprinted and asked to provide DNA samples as part of the investigations.

Mark Shields, the deputy police commissioner of Jamaica, insisted that the Pakistan team were not being treated any differently from anyone else at this stage. "It is important to eliminate as well as identify suspects," he told TVJ.

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