Pakistan Cricketers Questioned As Police Say Woolmer Had Fractured Neck Bone ; HOME

Mar 23, 03:00 AM

Current Headlines: By Jason Bennetto; Stephen Brenkley

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan cricket coach found dead in Jamaica under suspicious circumstances, had a fractured bone in his neck, an injury often found in victims of strangulation, police sources have revealed.

All 23 members of the Pakistan team and staff were being questioned yesterday by detectives about the death of the 58-year- old former England cricketer. An unconfirmed report claimed that Jamaican police were preparing to open a murder inquiry. But the Jamaican authorities said they were awaiting the outcome of a second postmortem examination.

Earlier, Mr Woolmer's widow Gill said she had not ruled out the possibility that he was murdered, and rejected the possibility of suicide.

Mr Woolmer, who played 19 times for England, died in hospital after being found unconscious by staff at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Sunday morning, the day after Pakistan's shock defeat to Ireland in the Cricket World Cup.

His death has lead to fevered speculation and rumour that he was murdered.

The suggestion of foul play is partly supported by new medical evidence that Mr Woolmer had a fractured bone in his neck, police sources have confirmed.

The injury is often found in people who have been strangled, although it could have been caused by someone collapsing after a heart attack.

A police source said initial results of a post--mortem examination revealed that "he had a fractured bone in the his neck which is consistent with strangling, but equally an injury like that could have been caused by someone falling to the ground."

Channel 4 News reported yesterday that it had been told by a senior Jamaican policeman that Mr Woolmer may have been murdered. The source was quoted as saying: "We're having to be very careful to avoid looking silly, but we will soon announce that there is to be a murder investigation and there will be an appeal for witnesses."

Carl Angel, a police spokesman, said: "We are still awaiting an official report from the Jamaican pathologist." He added: "We made it very clear in our statement on Tuesday that we are treating this as a suspicious death and suspicious means that we rule out nothing."

Meanwhile, Jamaican police yesterday started questioning players and staff from the Pakistan team. Talat Ali, the Pakistan team manager, said: "We have been told that the police want to question everyone. They want to talk to the whole squad - all 23."

The rumours of murder were fuelled by allegations from Sarfraz Nawaz, a former Pakistani fast-bowler, who claimed that Mr Woolmer was killed to stop him blowing the whistle on match-fixing. Cricket sources said that although there were rumours that a small number of players were starting to rig results again for bookmakers, no one thought that the coach was involved.

Friends have also dismissed the idea that Mr Woolmer could have taken his own life. He was about to stand down as the coach of Pakistan and planned to write a cricket book and update his autobiography.

Commenting earlier on the theory that her husband was murdered, Gill Woolmer said: "I suppose there is always the possibility. I mean, some of the cricketing fraternity, fans, are extremely volatile and passionate about the game and what happens in the game, and also a lot of it in Asia, so I suppose there is always the possibility that it could be that."

She added: "It fills me with horror. I just can't believe that people could behave like that or that anyone would want to harm someone who has done such a great service to international cricket."

She said her husband had been very down after the Irish defeat, but she was sure he did not commit suicide. Mrs Woolmer said she had been given "some indication" of why police thought her husband's death was suspicious, but did not reveal what it was. "The second pathologist's test should be available and as soon as we get that, the investigation will be winding down and they will be able to send his body back to South Africa," she said.

The Metropolitan Police said yesterday that they had not yet been asked for help in investigating the case, but were ready to assist if asked.

Jamaica's deputy police commissioner, Mark Shields, who announced that the death was being treated as suspicious, is a former Scotland Yard officer.

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