<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"It wasn't a fire. Government agencies are investigating the incident and they will make an official announcement. The hotel is fully operational. Three staff members were taken to the hospital due to a burning sensation and they are back now."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
"Burning sensation" but no fire? Must be the zam-zam cola in the Rooh Afza, or the sheesh kebab was a bit too heavy on the hashish?
Re: Mr. Woolmer - all deaths are "heart attacks", but he was reported to have vomitted as well. Does sound like a Jessica Busybody Fletcher episode. I don't see why he would commit suicide - that theory is all bull. After all the man has been coach of Pakistan for several years, and has a relatively good record as Pakistan coaches go. Must have been close to retiring with the $250K/yr or $500K/yr + expenses minimum that these coaches make. Even the umpire Hair was reported to have a contract for something like $160K or $200K per year. Getting knocked out of the World Cup is nothing to take that personally for someone like Woolmer who has been through the continuous circus act of the Pakistan cricket team.
Maybe someone made BBIGG $$ betting long on Ireland, and Woolmer found out about it. I mean, imagine the odds there. Someone could have made an absolute killing. If Woolmer in his anger went hunting to find out about such things, his life would have been worth nothing to these guys.
<!--QuoteBegin-rajesh_g+Mar 20 2007, 10:46 PM-->QUOTE(rajesh_g @ Mar 20 2007, 10:46 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Srini saar I guess you are as much a kirket fan as i am..
Good tp know that I am not the only one hoping these losers will progress to super 8. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But this Pak-Woolmer thing is getting riveting!
I should have put some money down on the Pak forfeit! The odds of Zim victory was 1:5.5. We should have trusted the Pakis. <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Team not in right mental shape after losing Woolmer
The Pakistan team are reluctant to play their final match of the World Cup against Zimbabwe, scheduled for later today, according to Pervez Mir, the team's media manager. The match is inconsequential for Pakistan, who have been knocked out, but it is significant for Zimbabwe, who could qualify for the next round if they beat Pakistan and finish with a better net run-rate than Ireland.
Mir said the team was in no mental state to play following revelations that Bob Woolmer, the coach who died on Sunday, might have been murdered. He said he was going to discuss the matter with ICC officials and the local organisers.
Ireland tied their first match with Zimbabwe and are currently ahead on points and run-rate with one more game to go against West Indies on Friday. However, Zimbabwe are not out of contention after managing to keep West Indies in the field till the 48th over in their match on Monday.
The Pakistan players tried to put up a veneer of normalcy when it practised at Sabina Park on Tuesday, playing football and indulging in banter before heading for nets, but the latest development has shaken them.
<b>Foul play in Bob death, cops confirm poisoning</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Jamaican police later confirmed that Bob Woolmer's death was not natural and that he seems to have died of "poisoning".
The police termed the nature of death as "suspicious" and said<b> it is possible that Woolmer's food was poisoned</b>. They, however, clarified that suspicion doesn't necessarily mean a negative outcome.
Mark Shields, the deputy chief constable of the Jamaican police force, confirmed that the death was being treated as suspicious.
"The post-mortem into the death of Mr Woolmer was inconclusive," he said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Link
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Kingston, March 20: Jamaican Police on Wednesday confirmed that poison traces have been found in Woolmerâs hotel room.
.........
Meanwhile, <b>Pakistan team players are being questioned about their whereabouts at the time of Woolmerâs death. Pakistan physio and trainer are also being interrogated</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is sick. Trusting Paki is always biggest mistake.
ISI has killed people before and will do so in the future. Hey, they even got away with 9-11. I am sure they have a hand in the betting racket so many possibilities are open.
03-21-2007, 01:20 PM (This post was last modified: 03-21-2007, 01:21 PM by Husky.)
I see Mudy beat me to it by several hours. For what it's worth: http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NewsDisplay/tabi...43/Default.aspx
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Death of Pakistan coach being treated as suspicious</b>
Wed-21-Mar-2007 3:19pmÂ
[Pic caption:] Bob Woolmer's death being treated as suspicious
The sudden death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer at the World Cup in Jamaica, is now being treated as suspicious.
The Pakistan team held a hastily convened news conference following an earlier briefing that post mortem findings were "inconclusive".
58-year-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on the weekend, just hours after his side's shock exit from the Cricket World Cup.
Further tests have been carried out by specialist investigators that include a toxicologist and a histologist, who examined Woolmer's body tissue.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Post 285:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->ISI has killed people before and will do so in the future.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Yeah, they're very reliable in that respect. That, treachery and terrorism are the only things people can count on them for.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hey, they even got away with 9-11. I am sure they have a hand in the betting racket so many possibilities are open.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->If it's a major source of revenue to fund their j-hadi terrorism, then of course they saw Bob Woolmer, who apparently got wind of it, as expendable. He was standing in allah's way, so, inshallah, he had to be eliminated.
Poor man. His poor family, too. Coached the Paki team, and this is the reward the ungrateful j-hadis of TSP gave him?
<!--QuoteBegin-narayanan+Mar 21 2007, 11:30 AM-->QUOTE(narayanan @ Mar 21 2007, 11:30 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Gee! back to the game ON the field...
Rain at BD-SL match, but so far, SL has 136 for 1 in 24 overs, 5.66 per over run rate. Bless Jayasurya.Â
If the rest of the match gets washed out, this run-rate will hopefully count against BD??
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Bang getting thrashed here. Definitely over 300. This is what India should have done. I think our guys were too cautious. We have to play fearlessly, imagine the opponents are from Bermuda or scotland. I think that is what Ponting did in 2003 finals. Imagined indian bowlers to be from Bermuda!
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Top Ireland administrator dies
From staff writers
March 22, 2007 <b>FORMER Irish Cricket Union president Bob Kerr died of a suspected heart attack in Kingston, Jamaica, today (AEDT).</b>
Ireland assistant coach Matt Dwyer said that Kerr died during the night "from what we believe was a heart attack"
"He was with his wife on holidays and spent time with the fans," said Dwye.
"We last spoke to him after the Pakistan match and he was in good spirits. He wasn't in ill-health."
Dwyer said Kerr's wife called hotel staff in the middle of the night and he died on the way to the hospital.
Kerr, an executive board member of the Irish Cricket Union and chairman of the North West Cricket Union, was in his mid-60s, said Dwyer.
<b>It is the second death involving people associated with the Ireland v Pakistan World Cup match here on Saturday. Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer died on Sunday, hours after Ireland's upset victory.</b>
03-22-2007, 12:40 AM (This post was last modified: 03-22-2007, 12:43 AM by narayanan.)
This is like the time my buddy and I decided to go compete in the "2-per-side" cricket championships at the IIT - and ran into a team consisting of one of the top batsmen, and one of the top bowlers. The spectators (Obnoxious *&**** that they were) called it
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> This is worse than Boxing, yaar!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:tv--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tv_feliz.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tv_feliz.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Being such a nice guy, I hope Jayasurya's knees are OK, and that Malinga does not slip and hurt himself on the slippery turf after all that rain... .
But then again, do I, deep inside? <!--emo&:devil--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devilsmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='devilsmiley.gif' /><!--endemo-->
BTW, thank Al*ah the for the small mercies. Zimbabwe are 14 for 3 against Pakistan's 324... If the Pakistanis had played like that against Ireland... <!--emo&:eager--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lmaosmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lmaosmiley.gif' /><!--endemo-->
(maybe Woolmer and that other gentleman might have been OK too).
THIS is what an experienced fast bowler is supposed to be. Compare with Bombay Duck Agarkar...
Vaas struck the first blow by bowling 4 balls in succession on the off-stump area.... fractionally different each time, moving the ball in by inches until the killer blow came. Agarkar would have given 1 wide, 4byes and 2 no-balls by then.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Prints taken in Woolmer probe
From Joe Edwards in Kingston, Jamaica
March 23, 2007 <b>PAKISTAN'S World Cup players were fingerprinted by Jamaica's police overnight as the investigation into the death of Bob Woolmer became embroiled speculation and denial.</b>
The players were also questioned by police on the same day that two Jamaican newspapers claimed that 58-year-old Pakistan coach Woolmer, who died on Monday (AEDT), had been strangled.
That alleged cause of death comes after earlier rumours of poisoning and even killing at the hands of members of the criminal underworld keen to avoid exposure in allegations of match-fixing which may have arisen in a book that Woolmer was planning to write.
"We're going through a process of speaking to people, including members of the team," Mark Shields, the deputy chief commissioner of the Jamaica police force, said.
<b>Shields added that all of the Pakistan squad had been fingerprinted before being allowed to leave for the Jamaican resort of Montego Bay later in the day. </b>
<b>Pakistan team spokesman Pervez Mir confirmed the probe had been extended to the players, </b>saying that police were trying to ascertain Woolmer's last movements and stressing that the questioning was not carried out under caution.
<b>The police asked the Pakistani players "when did you last see Bob, what were his last movements, what happened after the game . . . did he order anything in his room?, Mir said. </b>
Pakistan, which has already been eliminated from the World Cup, is due to leave for home tomorrow after spending two days in Montego Bay.
<b>Meanwhile, the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper reported a "high-ranking police officer" had confirmed that fresh evidence has surfaced which suggested that Woolmer was strangled in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. </b>
<b>According to the police officer, Woolmer was found half naked in his room, partially wrapped in a towel, the newspaper claimed. </b> <i>(Taleban influence? Did some pak player/official try to get frisky with the coach? And unlike the young boys...)</i>
<b>"A bone in the neck, near the glands, was broken, and this suggests that somebody might have put some pressure on it," the officer told the newspaper. </b>
<b>"We are now treating this as a homicide." </b>
<b>The Jamaica Observer also quoted unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that bones in the lower part of Woolmer's face were broken, suggesting he had been strangled.</b>
<b>Mir dismissed the suggestions, and also speculation over a link with match-fixing as "totally baseless and premature". </b>
"I'm afraid I cannot count these as accurate because the Jamaican police force hasn't given us official information as to what were the causes of Bob's death," Mir said.
<b>"I hope the police come up with a statement and some answers as soon as possible," he said, calling on people to be "considerate and sensitive". </b>Â <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Woolmer died in hospital on Monday after being found unconscious in his hotel room a day after Pakistan was knocked out of the World Cup after a shock defeat by minnow Ireland.
Shields said on Wednesday that an autopsy conducted on Woolmer's body by a government pathologist proved inconclusive as to the cause of death, which was being treated as "suspicious".
Shields said the police were awaiting the results of the toxicology and histology analysis from Woolmer's tissue sample.
But the Jamaica police force has now flown in a pathologist from Florida for a second opinion.
Even though Agarkar has some problems with wide deliveries due to too much Bambia Vel Puri, he is the fastest right now in the team India. Once we have some one who can touch or exceed 144km/hour then we can think of rotating Agarkar. Zaheer on the other hand has gotten my respect back. He is touching 144km/hour lately.
I agree with you in favor of Ramesh Powar. He is better than Harbhajan Singh.
<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Mar 19 2007, 02:40 AM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Mar 19 2007, 02:40 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Have you missded BCCI election and whole drama?
Problem starts from top, too much money change hands.
I don't see any change in future.
<!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What is Virender Sehwag doing in the team anyway? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Strong political support. His marriage was a live telecast event. Jaitley gave his own bunglow for wedding. BJP MP Verma was escorting him everywhere. Congress MLA, NCP all were competing for wedding decoration.
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This stinks. We need to take this matter to the Supreme court. Better yet, we need to have our very own Gunda Dal. So that we can take care of these MLAs and MPs.
See the thing is that a lot of people think that beating Pakistan is everything. But Pakistan is not that great of a team. We have to focus beyond. We are still in awe of Sehwag's performances against Pakistan. We have to get past that.
You are putting too much focus on bowling. I think our batting is bigger problem than our bowling. You got to keep one thing in mind; the game of cricket is designed for batsmen not the bowlers. If a batsman cannot do reasonable enough job then that is truly a shame because game is designed to favor him. This is where I have problems with Tendulkar and Sehwag. They both need to go.
Here is the batting lineup:
1) Dada
2) Dravid
3) Kartik
4) Yuvraj
5) Dhoni
6) Some new all rounder (wishful thinking <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->)
03-23-2007, 09:06 AM (This post was last modified: 03-23-2007, 09:08 AM by narayanan.)
Trouble is the "some new all-rounders" are all "round" in international cricket. See the long list of "star batsmen" tried already : Raina, Ottappam, Rohan Gavaskar, Jaffer, Kaif.. none of them developed into match-winners, though I would rate Kaif as nearly as good as a star bowler on the field because he saves so many runs and gets so many run-outs. But we DON'T have batsmen with the winner's discipline at the top level.
Now for the "all-rounders". I am of the firm belief that an all-rounder is a star strike bowler who learns to bat by sheer determination. Look at all the great ones: Peter Pollock, Ian Botham, Ray Illingwood, Horlicks Baby Flintoff, and of course, the greatest - Kapil Dev.
India's record is dismal in that department, EXCEPT for Irfan Pathan. I don't understand what happened there - how does a deadly fast bowler suddenly lose length, line and batting ability, all at once? Did he fall in love or what? Or take up Rooh Afza etc?
Sreesanth shows batting talent - he should also be given the chance to develop his batting.
Also, I think Dravid's imagination and audacity in trying intelligent bowling changes, stinks. The man is as imaginative as a rock. Otherwise, Tendulkar and Dada should be bowling in the 5th over onwards, to shock the batsmen with slow swing and accurate bowling.
My whole problem with Agarkar is his total lack of discipline. An occasional wide, maybe, because of over-swing, but NO-BALLs? Come on, for someone who lives to bowl, it is hard to imagine how he cannot still have the rhythm and run-up accurate and repeatable to the millimeter.
144 kmph is not an issue any more at the top of an international match. All the bowling machines do that (even I have faced balls at that speed). Without accuracy, its all just sixers and fours. Remember Chukhtar to Sehwag, first over, World Cup in South Africa 2004? Jayasurya won't be any kinder to Agarkar.
They need to drop Agarkar and bring in Pathan, and drop Patel and bring in Sreesanth. And drop Oothappam and bring in Kartik. Hope they show some brains tomorrow.
When Dhoni came out instead of Dravid against Bermuda, that was the first sign of intelligence I've seen exhibited by the Chappell-Dravid junta in a loooong time - I don't give them credit for bringing Dada back, because that was done under pressure.
BTW, the Sri Lankans showed very clearly that 191 would have been eminently out of reach of BD if the bowling had been accurate. As it is, when they won against India there were only 9 balls remaining. India should have won that match, if Agarkar had not been asleep in the first few overs.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pakistan 'worried' after murder news
  From correspondents in Montego Bay, Jamaica
  March 23, 2007
<b>THE Pakistan team is very "worried" today, its officials said, after Jamaican police launched a murder investigation into the death of the coach Bob Woolmer.</b>
Police in Kingston said the Englishman's death on Monday (AEDT) was "due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation".
<b>"Tragic, yes, worrying yes, because we have a member of our team, a national coach of Pakistan, who has been murdered and this is not something which can be taken lightly,"</b> Pervez Mir, the team spokesman, said at their Ritz Carlton hotel base in Montego Bay.
<b>"Because we have other members of team management, we have the team, of course we are all very worried right now."
</b>
The 58-year-old Briton was found unconscious in his hotel room, with vomit on the walls and signs of blood on his body.
The previous day, Pakistan was eliminated from the World Cup by debutant Ireland.
<b>
"If a man dies of natural causes, that's life, that's nature," Mir added.
"But when somebody is murdered as we now know from the police this is very alarming and very worrying.</b>
<b>"It's a very, very scary situation for us . . . when you hear something like this and a member of our team has been targeted.</b>Â <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> <i>(yes, right... he is being targeted bcos he is the coach of land of the pure!)</i>
"We don't know what's behind the murder. We have to get to the bottom of this. The loss we have suffered has to be investigated and the culprits have to be brought to justice."
The players had flown out of Kingston earlier in the day after being questioned by police.
Agarkars problem is lack of aggression - which is there more or less in every one of the indian side. Cant think of the exact match but i have seen him bowl with aggression at times and he is pretty good then. Best form of aggression i have seen last is from Prasad in that Bangalore match. That kind of fire needs to be kindled and you can probably make match winners out of everybody.
One lollipop bowler i have seen with very little to name for talent (atleast towards end of his career) but loads of aggression is prabhakar.
I think SRT should open and show we mean business.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> 
tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> 
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo--> 
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->)