A QUIRK by Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry left some persons attending yesterday's coroner's inquest into the death of Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer, puzzled.

Mr. Pantry, who has figured in several aggressive exchanges since the start of the inquest, asked Marcia Dunbar, a forensic analyst at the Government Forensic Science Laboratory, about the level of cypermethrin found in the former England player's system.

But after a brief break for coroner Patrick Murphy to take notes, Mr. Pantry posed another question.

Cypermethrin is a pesticide government pathologist Dr. Ere Seshaiah believes caused the 58-year-old Woolmer's death on March 18. Yesterday, Ms. Dunbar testified that the substance was found in blood and urine taken from the coach, as well as 'straw-coloured' liquid found near the bed in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Ms. Dunbar, who has worked at the forensic laboratory for 26 years, told the court that cypermethrin was found in one of three blood samples provided by the police. When questioned by the International Cricket Council's attorney Jermaine Spence if this was unique, she responded, "I'm not sure."

Ms. Dunbar said she analysed several items from the hotel room between March 19 and June 4. These included medication and personals, believed to belong to Woolmer.

She said there were traces of the tranquilliser, chloropromazine, in samples from his stomach with a fair amount of alcohol in his system. Ms. Dunbar said the level of alcohol was within the legal limit.