18.3.07

Bob Woolmer (1948-2007)

It's been quite a busy day. I've just heard on the radio that Bob Woolmer has died, rendering what I wrote this morning completely meaningless, and Pakistan's exit from the World Cup utterly irrelevant.

He was a very good player, who made the first complete Test century I saw live, for England against Australia at Lord's in 1977, and a great coach, whose influence will be remembered with gratitude in many parts of the cricket world.

At Canterbury, where he played all his county cricket for Kent, at Edgbaston, where he coached Warwickshire to a raft of trophies, in Pakistan, and perhaps most of all in South Africa, where he made his home and went from coaching club cricketers in Cape Town to making the national side what it became in the era of Cronje, Rhodes and Donald.

More later, I'm sure.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a Pakistani fan, this is sad news.

Bob Woolmer was a great coach, with many pioneering ideas. Not just that, but a nice person. That was the main thing about him. I was just listening to a story on one of the Pakistani news channels, and one of the commentators said that whenever any Pakistani player would go to South Africa, he would invite them to his home. He even invited the Pakistani team for dinner during the SA tour.

He was willing to adapt to any culture. The main thing I liked about him was his relationship with the Pakistani players, you can tell through their coaching sessions, and photos what a relationship they had. It was a relationship of friendship.

He kept his own website and always tried to answer cricket fans questions.

He kept his own blog on cricinfo to keep fans updated, and about his ideas of the game of cricket.

He kept himself dignified throughout the various controversies in Pakistani cricket.

From what I saw, he was a true Gentleman.

Bob Woolmer condolence book
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=38024

Brian Carpenter said...

Thanks, Mo, for a superb, heartfelt comment.

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