Australia praise Woolmer as coaching pioneer by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 19th March 2007

 

Australia's cricket community on Monday mourned the loss of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, saying he would be remembered as an innovative coach and one of the game's gentlemen.

 

Woolmer died Sunday at the age of 58 after being found unconscious on the floor of his hotel room in Kingston in the wake of his team's stunning World Cup exit to Ireland.

 

"Australian fans will best remember him for the runs he made against us in Ashes cricket," Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement.

 

"But we also remember him as a pioneering coach, as an international man of cricket though his work for England, South Africa and Pakistan, and as one of cricket's gentlemen.

 

"Our condolences go to his family and loved ones at this sad time."

 

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said news of Woolmer's death had rocked his team during a drinks break in their World Cup match against the Netherlands in St Kitts.

 

"One of our 12th men actually told us about it," Ponting told the Australian Associated Press after Australia's 229-run win over the Dutch.

 

"Everyone sort of just stood back in shock there for quite a while.

 

"Everybody was immediately saddened by what we'd heard.

 

"We have played a game of cricket but there have been a lot of bigger things happening around the world and there always is.

 

"We sometimes get a bit carried away with what we do I guess, in sport. But when something like this happens it certainly rams home there are other things around you all the time happening."

 

Australian coach John Buchanan said cricket had lost one of its great innovators.

 

"It was an incredible shock to hear that news," Buchanan said.

 

"Certainly from all the Australian cricket team and everybody associated with Cricket Australia, we would all express our deepest sympathies to the Woolmer family.

 

"He has been at the forefront of coaching for a long time. He has been a person who has been outspoken on a number of key issues and is absolutely well-regarded by everybody.

 

"For all those involved in cricket it's a very, very sad day.

 

"He has certainly been an innovator. He had an interesting and great way to look at the game.

 

"He'll be a huge loss to cricket forever but he has left a fantastic legacy that as coaches hopefully we can all aspire to and follow."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)