Whatever caused Bob Woolmer's tragic and apparently violent death in Jamaica on Sunday, it seems highly unlikely to have been match-fixers or illegal gamblers attempting to silence the Pakistan coach before the imminent publication of his third book.
Among a slew of unlikely and absurd rumours and theories following the 58-year-old's death in his hotel room following Pakistan's shock loss to Ireland in the first round of the World Cup, the line that he was about to "blow the lid" on match-fixing is one of the most ridiculous, according to Woolmer's co-author, the sports scientist Prof Tim Noakes.
"There is absolutely no truth in that story - besides, how could anyone know what's in the book, nobody in Pakistan could possibly have seen it. The only secret Bob was revealing in the book was how to coach cricketers properly," Noakes said yesterday.
A statement from Woolmer's family, widow Gill and sons Dale and Russell, as well as the trustees of the Bob Woolmer Trust Fund - Jonty Rhodes and Barry Richards - confirmed Woolmer was about to approve the final prints of the book when he died. The statement said: "Discovering Cricket: The Art and Science of the Game pulls together all the years of experience Bob gained coaching around the world as well as his own unique cricketing philosophies. Tragically, the final manuscript reached the West Indies the day after Bob died."
Rhodes was to have formed an integral part of the Bob Woolmer Cricket Academy which was being created outside Nelspruit. The project was being heralded as an institution of international standing as well as an opportunity for underprivileged local children to gain an education plus sporting tuition.
Noakes said yesterday the "manifesto is now at the publishers" and "the philosophy behind it will become the foundation for the coaching and teachings at the Academy and will live on and grow through the staff."
Rhodes, who is in St Kitts as specialist fielding coach to the South African team, was emotional. "It's been a very tough time, an emotional time for the six of us who played throughout Bob's five years in charge of South Africa. Fortunately they were able to put in a strong performance against Scotland on a highly emotional day (on Tuesday) and everyone has accepted we're here to play good cricket. We can't just put Bob's death behind us . . ."
"Sadly we learned the hard way at the last World Cup how to separate personal emotions from our job on the field. Some of the senior players four years ago allowed our feelings to get the better of us so soon after the death of Hansie so we're trying not to let that happen again.
"Two of the greatest influences on my cricket career and my life, Bob and Hansie, have now passed away and I'm getting worried . . . they may be sitting in heaven picking their best XI. I'm just hoping my name's not first out of the hat . . . because I still have work to do down here."
