August
28:
On the eve of Pakistan’s Twenty20 international against England in
Bristol
Robert
Andrew Woolmer said:
“We are
looking forward to the cricket and getting everything else that’s
happened over the past week out of the way. “What’s happened in the
past week has not been good for cricket. We just want to leave that
alone now and get on with the rest of the tour.” Woolmer remains
optimistic that wish will prove achievable. “All the players want to
do is forget what has happened. We think that is possible,”
Woolmer
had stated in 2006 that he believed that ball-tampering should be
allowed in cricket and that a modification to existing laws shoud be
made
This is such
shocking news for all cricket fans. Also this shows the over
emotions of people of Pakistan and India toward Cricket, which lead
not only to a great cricketerbut also to a great coach to invite
death due to the reaction and behave showed by the related elements
after a cricket match loss.
I
think that we have given cricket too much publicity. Players are
millionaires but they as filmy big guns and great political leaders
want to billionaires by making fools to the public. Multinational
sponsors and sheep crowd like people encourage this crime against
the other games. Child to elder, poor to rich, both genders and
genderless all kill their valuable times and this should be declared
a crime against the nation. Because of this nation suffered heavy
economic loss. Ways and process should be found to recover that loss
by them. White paper should be published of their contribution to
the benefit of the common poor people.
His personal web
site starts with the words:
Yesterday is a
history
Tomorrow is a
mystery
Today is the
present-
a gift to make
the most of
Woolmer was last
in the news when Pakistan toured England last summer. His side
became the first in Test history to forfeit a match after they
initially refused to take the field following an incident involving
Australian umpire Darrell Hair. Hair awarded England five penalty
runs after deeming Pakistan guilty of ball tampering during the
match at the Oval.
Inzamam-ul-Haq's
side continued the game at first but later refused to carry on.
Pakistan did offer to take the field eventually but Hair, along with
fellow umpire Billy Doctrove, had decided to award the game to
England.
Woolmer admitted
that the incident, which eventually saw Hair banned from umpiring by
the International Cricket Council after offering to resign in
exchange for a pay-off, forced him seriously to consider his future
as coach of the national side. Pakistan had a troubled build-up to
the World Cup with pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif both
testing positive for banned substances. Both players won appeals
against the bans they received from the PCB but the World
Anti-Doping Agency were unhappy with that decision and lodged a case
with the Court of Arbitration for Sport before both pacemen were
ruled out of the World Cup due to injury
Bob
Woolmer,
was a professional cricket coach known for having coached the South
African cricket team and Warwickshire. He was only the second
non-Pakistani to coach the Pakistani cricket team, the first being
Englishman Richard Pybus (1999-2000).
Woolmer
was also a regular in England ODI cricket from 1972 to 1976. He was
a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1976. 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 and 1981, was found unconscious at the Pegasus
Hotel at 1045 local time.
Pakistan team manager Pervez Mir said "We saw him last night but
having not seen him early today two of our officers went to his room
and with the help of hotel staff entered. He was found unconscious
there.
Pakistan coach
Bob Woolmer, 58, has died in a Kingston hospital after being found
unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday morning.
The former
England batsman was made coach of Pakistan in June 2004. The job of
coaching the national team of the cricket-crazy country is
considered one of the most pressurized in the sport.
Woolmer, who has a distinguished career as a coach, appeared to take
the three-wicket defeat to debutants Ireland in his stride following
the match.
His contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board was due to expire on
June 30 but it was widely expected he would part company with them
after the World Cup which is scheduled to finish on April 28.
Full Name:
Robert Andrew Woolmer
Nickname:
Bob
DOB:
14 May 1948
Place of birth:
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Country:
India
Batting Style:
Right-hand bat
Bowling Style:
Right-arm medium
Teams:
England, Kent, Natal, Western Province
ODI Debut:
Against Australia at Old Trafford on 24-08-1972
Test Debut:
Against Australia at Lord's on 31-07-1975
1948:
Born in
Kanpur, India
1951:
My debut
in the back garden, aged 3. There was never a doubt: my father put a
bat and ball in my cot.
1959:
As an
11-year-old I watch Hanif Mohammed score 499 for Karachi.
1963:
Stylish
middle-order batsman and right-arm tormentor for the Skinners School
1 st XI.
1968:
My debut
for Kent. The score book says 50 not out.
1970/71:
My first
experience playing and coaching in South Africa.
1972:
One-day
international debut for England – against the old foe.
1975:
An unlucky
break: I'm selected for England's first World Cup squad, and manage
to break my hand the day before the tournament starts. I do 12 th
man duties and gnash my teeth…
1976:
Selected
as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year
1977:
The
Centenary Test in Melbourne, and we go on to take the Ashes 3-0. I
sign for Kerry Packer, and the establishment is not amused.
1980:
Return to
the England side to take on the West Indies. I learn the true
meaning of “fast bowling”.
1981:
A pair at
Trent Bridge against Australia, which effectively ends my
international career. But as one door closes another one opens, and
by the end of the year I am coaching in Langa and Avendale townships
in Cape Town, South Africa.
1984:
I retire
from First Class cricket, and emigrate to South Africa the next
year, teaching at high schools and coaching cricket and hockey in
disadvantaged areas.
1991
Appointed
Director of Coaching at Warwickshire CCC.
1993:
Warwickshire wins the NatWest trophy, and Dermott Reeve perfects the
reverse sweep.
1994:
Warwickshire win 3 out of 4 trophies and are runners up in the
NatWest series. I am appointed coach of South Africa.
1995:
I am in
the dressing room when Brian Lara scores 501* to break Hanif's
record. I suppose that makes me one of very few people to have seen
both innings live .
1994-1999:
South
Africa wins 73% of its one-day internationals, and 10 out of 15 Test
series.
1999:
I leave
the job after South Africa fails to make the World Cup final by 0.1
of run
2001:
Joined the
ICC as High Performance Manager, working with Namibia among others.
2005:
Appointed
coach of Pakistan –
and I'm still
standing
Eklavya
Players of
defeated Indian and Pakistani teams should learn some lesson from
the Eklavya.
Eklavya knew from
his mother that Dronacharya might not be a guru of him to teach ‘Dhanurvidhya’.
Even then Eklavya was not be put off, his determination knew no
bounds. Near his house, under a tree Eklavya installed a clay idol
of Dronacharya that he worshiped as his Guru! Daily, morning and
evening, this devotee put flower and natural perfumes in front of
this image and took Self-Lessons in the art of bow and arrow. The
talented young Eklavya soon acquired high knowledge in archery. He
attributed his success to his Guru Dronacharya.
One
day, a dog barks while he is focused upon practice, and without
looking, the prince fires arrows that seal up the dog's mouth. The
Pandava princes see this dog running, and wonder who could have done
such a feat. They see Ekalavya, who announces himself as a pupil of
Drona.
Arjuna
is worried that his position as the best warrior in the world might
by usurped. Drona sees his worry, and visits Ekalavya
and said, "O
young man, who has taught you such wonderful skills in archery! Who
is your Guru?"
Seeing the Guru in front of him, the boy Eklavya was more that
overjoyed and said, "Why, O Gurudev, this all is your grace! I
worship you as my Guru. Look you are there in that image!"
Dronacharya was pleased with the dedication of Eklavya, and said, "I
bless you my son. But as is customary, won't you give me my fees -
Guru-Dakshina!"
Guru Drona said,
"O Eklavya, I am pleased with your respect for Guru. I want the
thumb of your right hand as my fees – Guru-Dakshina."
The trees and atmosphere around stood still for a minute! Even
Arjuna was stunned on listening to the unusual and almost cruel
demand of his Guru. To ask for the thumb of an archer was equivalent
to almost kill him! How could Dronacharya demand such a heavy prize
from one disciple to protect the honor of the other!
But Eklavya had no such remorse. Unruffled and with due humility,
cheerfully and without protest, he cut his right thumb and placed at
the feet of Dronacharya. Gods in the heaven silently praised the
greatness of Eklavya's sacrifice.