File
Late Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.
Howard Campbell, Sunday Gleaner Writer
ON MARCH 18 last year, Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was pronounced dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies. The tragedy took place one day after his team's shock World Cup loss to Ireland at Sabina Park.
His sudden passing was the cricket shot heard around the world.
The 58-year-old former England batsman's motionless body was discovered by staff at 10:30 a.m. in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel. His death triggered hysteric speculation that not even a six-week coroner's inquest could clear up.
"It was an extremely unfortunate incident. It happened at a time when the tournament had incredible momentum and helped to dampen things," said Cricket World Cup director, Chris Dehring.
Conspiracy theorists
Woolmer's death not only overshadowed the six-week tournament, it also provided fodder for conspiracy theorists. Some said he was killed by shady bookmakers, from the cricket-mad sub-continent, angered at Pakistan's early elimination.
Others believed Woolmer was done in by a member of the Pakistan cricket delegation, all of whom were interrogated and fingerprinted by the police.
Government pathologist Dr Ere Seshaiah's diagnosis that Woolmer died from asphyxia caused by manual strangulation fuelled the rumour mill. The police announced Seshaiah's sensational conclusion during a press conference on March 23 at the Pegasus.
Within three months, the police had changed their tune. On June 15, then commissioner, Lucius Thomas, announced in a press conference at the Police Officers' Club that Seshaiah's diagnosis was inaccurate; Thomas said extensive examination of evidence (X-rays, samples from Woolmer's body) by pathologists from Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom showed he had died from natural causes.
"We acted in haste," Thomas said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mark Shields, does not agree. He told The Sunday Gleaner that given similar circumstances, the police would not change their procedure.
"If we are told by a pathologist that a man has been murdered, we have to take their word and investigate it thoroughly. We could find no evidence that he was murdered, which is why I brought in three independent pathologists," DCP Shields said.
Too many what-ifs
At the end of a coroner's inquest in November, Seshaiah maintained that Woolmer was killed. An 11-member jury returned an open verdict, saying there were too many what-ifs to give a definitive result.
It was the first time the Cricket World Cup was held in the Caribbean. Nine countries hosted matches in improved stadiums, and fans got the opportunity to see stars like Muralitharan, Tendulkar and Lara in a tournament won for the third straight time by an efficient Australian team.
Dehring, who was a major part of the competition's promotion, does not believe Cricket World Cup 2007 will be remembered solely for Bob Woolmer's death.
"Unfortunately, it is one of the legacies of the event, but even with a tragedy like that, you've got to look at the positives and move on," he said.
'Woolmer's room hot!
HE MAY have died there one year ago, but Bob Woolmer is still a hit with some guests at the Jamaica Pegasus. Eldon Bremner, general manager at the New Kingston hotel, says the room in which the Pakistan cricket coach's body was discovered, is still a hot topic.
"Some people request to be on the same floor, some want to be in it," a laughing Bremner told The Sunday Gleaner.
The curious who clamour to stay in 'haunted' room 374 will see a complete transformation from the one which Woolmer signed for in early March. After it was declared a crime scene, the unit was shut down by police for over six weeks.
Bremner said the room is larger now after two months of extensive renovation on the 12th floor by Pegasus management.
That renovation, Bremner explained, also includes installation of a new surveillance camera system. The dated VCR format in place at the time of Woolmer's death has been replaced by a digital setup.
Bremner, who has been general manager at the Pegasus since 2002, said he went immediately to Woolmer's room after learning that the Englishman was unconscious.
Shortly after noon, Pakistan press officer Pervez Mir announced that Woolmer had been declared dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Bremner said his most challenging task that day was keeping journalists, who swarmed the hotel's lobby, in check.
The Jamaica Pegasus hosted the four teams and officials from Group D of the Cricket World Cup. They occupied 200 of the hotel's 300 rooms.
Business may have been good, but Bremner is not hoping to experience another March 18, 2007.
"It's not a day I want to relive," he said.
howard.campbell@gleanerjm.com
