Adil Najam
Robert (Bob) Andrew Woolmer, most recently the Head Coach for the Pakistan cricket team died of a massive heart attack in Jamaica earlier today. He was born on May 14, 1948, in Kanpur India, played 19 tests and 6 one day internationals for England and was amongst the first in a generation of ‘super coaches’ in international cricket.
His tenure as Pakistan’s cricket coach was a particularly tumultuous one, especially recently. Its lowest point was yesterday when Pakistan – under his coaching – lost miserably to Ireland. This was a massive blow for the Pakistan team, people and obviously for Bob Woolmer. The massive heart attack he suffered today ultimately took his life.
According to BBC News:
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has died after being discovered in his Jamaica hotel room on Sunday morning. The 58-year-old former South Africa coach, who played for England between 1975-81, was found unconscious at the Pegasus Hotel at 1045 local time.
He was taken to the emergency ward of the nearby University hospital but did not regain consciousness. Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday after losing by three wickets to minnows Ireland. Woolmer told BBC Radio Five Live after the Ireland match that he was considering his future in the game.
“My contract runs out on 30 June anyway but I want to sleep on it before I make a decision about my future,” he said on Saturday evening. “I have said I am reluctant to continue in international cricket purely because of all the travelling but I will stay in cricket at a different level. “But I think the decision has been made for me really. I will talk to the PCB and if they want me to stay until 30 June I will stay, if they want me to go I will go.
“I am not going to break my contract but if the PCB want to get rid of me that is their business.” Pakistan’s preparations for the World Cup have been far from ideal, which Woolmer also alluded to. Following the infamous forfeited Test against England at The Oval last summer, two of their leading fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, were suspended after failing doping tests.
A great loss to cricket. The pair later saw those bans rescinded but missed the World Cup because of injury, something Woolmer admitted had hindered the team. “There are a number of extenuating circumstances in the last six months that have made coaching Pakistan slightly different to normal sides,” he said. “Those are the things I would have to consider and those things would have to change if I was to continue.”
According to an Associated Press report on reaction in Pakistan:
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Naseem Ashraf said Bob Woolmer’s death was a “a loss for the cricketing world.” “He was a thorough gentleman who instilled team spirit in the team,” Ashraf told Pakistani private channel Geo Television. “He was a very popular personality in our cricket team.”
Ashraf said Woolmer had informed him that he had breathing problems during sleep at night and was also diabetic. “He informed me this just before the team departed for the West Indies and I told him ‘take care of yourself Bob’,” Ashraf said. “But Woolmer told me it was nothing new for him as he wore mask during sleeping.” Ashraf said that when he spent some days in Jamaica with the team, he thought Woolmer was perfectly alright.
“I am very sad and I think he took stress after Pakistan lost to Ireland,” said former test cricketer Hanif Mohammad. Pakistan’s injured fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was sidelined for the World Cup, described Woolmer’s death as a “big tragedy.” “I am very sad,” Akhtar told Geo television. “It’s a very big tragedy and I am completely in a shock.
“Before leaving for the West Indies, we met each other, we both hugged each other and we shared lots of thoughts. “He used to call me ‘Son.’ My whole sympathies are with his family.” Akhtar, under a doping cloud after testing positive for nandrolone last year, has long struggled with how to manage his express pace and avoid injuries. “I have learnt a lot from him. He tried his best to coach us professionally,” Akhtar said. “He was very fun-loving and I can’t believe he could pass like that.”
Former coach Javed Miandad, Woolmer’s immediate predecessor as coach, said that the former England test batsman tried his best for the Pakistan team. “It’s shocking news and I am very sad too,” Miandad said. “I have played cricket with him in the Kerry Packer era and when he took over I hosted him at home and informed him about the Pakistan team.”
oh my god i still not beliving that coch bob diei.to me he was a vry gud coach rest in piece
The tragic death of bob as well as the under-par performance of our team will prey on our minds for a considerable time to come. The question is where does Pak cricket go from here. With the premature resignations of Inzamam and members of the PCB, one cannot envisage the extensive build up plan required. Will the new PCB fraternity (once selected) decide on opting to seek a new coach from within Pakistan – or will it once again prefer a foreign coach (providing foreign coaches are prepared to undertake such an assignment with a volatile Pakistani unit).
I acknowledge Aqil’s valid point that the cause for concern is the opening pair. We have never been able to develop a solid opening pair as consistent as that of Amir Sohail & Saeed Anwar. Yasir Hamid is the only technically correct opener who resolves part of the problem, however can Pakistan afford to persist with previosly tried & tested openers to accompany Hamid or are they will willing to experiment with up & coming openers. One chap who springs to mind is Fawad Alam or possibly Afaq Raheem.
The bowling department seems settled for now, although the volatile nature & occassional lack of commitment of Shoaib still poses a major question mark.
Infact, I was not deceived by his crocodile tears after learning of Bob’s death – it was he who confronted & physically man handled the fatherly figured Bob during the Pak – SA series which was deeply regrettable.
Besides, he’s an aging bowler & Pakistan would be best served to find his replacement in perhaps the Anwar Ali / Jamshed Ahmed mould.
For now, all the other players seem settled & hence drastic wholesale changes would only exacerbate matters.
Also, the loss is not entirely his fault either. The big three (Younis, Yousaf and Inzi) have been rescuing Pakistan’s batting on so many ocasions, they can not be expected to deliver every time. Look at the openers, that’s where the real problem with our batting was, they were consistently failing and putting all the pressure for a rescue effort on these three. Woolmer was often unfairly criticized for not being able to develop a good opening pair, but that wasn’t his or the captain’s fault. They had to work with the material that was available, it wasn’t their fault that our domestic system was not producing decent openers.
As for captaincy, Inzi was not the most aggressive and innovative one, but he and Woolmer did unite a team and turn it into a fighting unit, which in itself was quite an achievement given our history of team politics. Before that ball tampering fiasco at the oval, the team was looking pretty good. It’s fielding was a bit sloppy and needed some improvement, but it was certainly a strong outfit expected to do well in the world cup. I think the oval controversy should have been handled differently and an attempt should have been made by the board to help the players leave it behind. But then, the dope tests made it worse, and again, it was not the fault of Inzi or Woolmer that the whole issue was badly mismanaged by the PCB.
In short, while Inzamam had his weaknesses, the whole blame can not be laid at his shoulders, the last few months with the oval and doping controversies were difficult, and he was not the one who created these problems.
Babar has a point, we should not be getting on Inzi like this. It is every cricketer’s dream to retire on a winning note, the loss and Woolmer’s death is painful enough for Inzi, the fact that he has the good sense to quit instead of being kicked out is another thing to keep in mind. He has given us many moments of joy, lets not forget that. We should give him some respect for a change. Of course, he had his flaws, but that does not take away his stature as a player and the fact that we should remember his contributions and at least give him a cheer as he exits the scene.
[…] Like so many others, I feel that we Pakistanis need to honor Bob Woolmer’s contribution to Pakistan cricket, to memorialize his tragic death, and celebrate his talented life. I believe that a good way to do so would be to rename National Stadium, Karachi, and call it the Woolmer Stadium. […]