BREAKING NEWS: Pakistan Cricket Coach Bob Woolmer Dead

[Bruce]

By Craig Cozier, AP Sports

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, March 18 (posted 5:18 pm)

Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmaer died in hospitalSunday soon after he was found unconcsious in his hotel room.

Pakistan lost in an upset to Ireland at the Cricket World Cup on Saturday, ending its chances of advancing in the tournament and almost ensuring the end of Woolmer's tenure as coach.

Mass outrage at the loss in Pakistan soon turned to mourning when team offiicals announced Woolmer, 58, died within an hour of being rushed to University Hospital in Jamaica.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Naseem Ashraf said Woolmer had complained of breathing difficulties before the team left for the World Cup, and was diabetic.

"He informed me just before the team departed for teh West Indies and I told him 'take care of yourself Bob', Ashraf said in a Pakistani TV broadcast, adding that Woolmer sometimes wore an oxygen mask.

Ashraf said Woolmer's death was a "loss for the cricketing world."

"He was a thorough gentlement who instilled team spirit in the team. He was a very popular personality in our cricket team."

The cause of death was not immediately released. Pakistan team spokesman Pervez Jamil Mir said an autopsy would be conducted by Jamaican authorities.

Woolmer was survived by his wife, Gill, and two sons.

[Bruce]

RE: BREAKING NEWS: Pakistan Cricket Coach Bob Woolmer Dead

PART 2 of above story

By Craig Cozier, Associated Press

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said Woolmer would be missed by "thousands and thousands of friends within cricket."

"We are deeply saddened by Bob Woolmer's passing", Speed said. "He was a great cricket man. His life was devoted to cricket. Hel played, coached, and commentated on the game all his life."

Speed said the ICC was working in conjunction with the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan government on a tribute to Woolmer.

"The Pakistan team and management are shocked and sadened by his passing," Mir said. "We extend our deepenst condolences to his family."

Woolmer, who played 19 test matches for England, worked as a coach on three continents, including a stint for the ICC developing cricket nations.

"Bob was well regarded as a coach," Speed said. He was very passionate about the game. Many of us had heated discussions with Bob becasue he had strong views about theway the game should be developed and he played a very important role with us in those years."

Clive Lloyd, who led the West Indies to the first World Cup titile in 1975 and is the manager of the current team, said Woolmer "was a great guy and a really great coach."

"It's said that such a tragedy should take palce in the World Cup - I feel sad for his family.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief excutive David Collier said Woolmer would be remembered as a player for his 149 against Australia in 1975.

"The passing of Bob Woolmer in Jamaica today casts a sad shadow over the 2007 Cricket World Cup", he said. "Bob was one of the world's greatest coaches as a player and his innings of 149 lasting more than 8 hours against (Dennis) Lillee and (Jeff) Thomson demonstrated not only how talented a player he was, but also his pride in wearing the England sweater.

But his impact as a coach was more immense, Collier said.

"Bob will be best rememebered as one of the world's leading coaches. "He embraced innovation and was at the forefront of many new developments in the game."

Associated Press writers Howard Campbell in Kingston, Jamaica, and Rizwan Ali in Islamabad, Pakistan, and AP photographer Andres Leighton in Kingston contributed to this report.

[Tilla]

RE: BREAKING NEWS: Pakistan Cricket Coach Bob Woolmer Dead

Really sad. It really leaves a shadow over the competition.

Thanks Bruce. How you hear the news so quickly?

[Bruce]

RE: BREAKING NEWS: Pakistan Cricket Coach Bob Woolmer Dead

I came home from a hockey game about 7:15 pm Central Time, checked AOL sports for the NCAA scores, and there it was.

[Bruce]

RE: BREAKING NEWS: Pakistan Cricket Coach Bob Woolmer Dead

GLEANER: "There was blood in the bathroom and vomit all over the wall"

According to the GLEANER, Pervez Mir, of Pakistan Cricket , is quoted in the GLEANER that he saw Bob Woolmer unconscious in the hotel room sometimeafter 10:45 am, when hotel workers discovered Woolmer in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

"When I reached the room, he was lying on the floor with his mouth wide open and there was blood in the bathroom and there was vomit all over the wal and there were signs of diahrrea," Mir said.