Cricket: There’s Something Black in the Dal

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What a World Cup. And I say that as a cricket neophyte.

Stunning upsets, out-of-control fans, stocks in effigy companies spiking…and murder?

Bob Woolmer, 58, is dead. They found the unconscious coach of Pakistan’s team in his hotel room this weekend and he died soon after that at a hospital. At first, I was told by my cricket tutors that it was probably a heart attack; after a bruising defeat, it seemed entirely plausible. Woolmer’s family seemed to agree, from various reports that I had read. But what really happened to him? Did he die of unnatural causes (Thanks WGiiA, Anon and Anil)?

Police are now treating Bob Woolmer’s death as suspicious, Mark Shields, the deputy commissioner of police, told a news conference in Jamaica. A full-scale investigation has been ordered.
…”Having met with the pathologists, our medical personnel and investigators, there is now sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Woolmer, which we are now treating as suspicious.”
However, unconfirmed reports suggested Woolmer might have been murdered because marks were found around his neck. [Link]

Hmmmm. I’ll keep you posted. Well, you’ll probably keep ME posted, but you know what I meant. The education of this dilettante cricket fan continues…and really, it doesn’t need to be THIS interesting.

72 thoughts on “Cricket: There’s Something Black in the Dal”

  1. When I heard about Woolmer, I for shizzle thought he got Escobar-ed. I hope I’m wrong. His death has certainly dampened my World Cup spirit.

  2. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Kind of makes you long for the days when Pakistan’s biggest problems were prima donna-ish fast bowlers.

    The news story is slightly sensationalised, however, the police spokesperson said that this death, like all sudden deaths, would be treated as potentially suspicious.

    Doctors in the house, would you be able to tell if someone had a heart attack with a first round of post-mortem investigations?

  3. I read somewhere he was already at odds with the captain of the team… who (strangely enough) was insisting he be present at the autopsy.

  4. Besides his obvious ties to the subcontinent in terms of cricket, here’s an interesting “desi angle” for you: He was born in Kanpur, India in 1948.

  5. If he has been murdered — I find it hard to have words to describe what it will mean for cricket. I know it seems wrong to even think of that in the face of this tragedy, and the death of a man — but I don’t have words to describe what it would mean.

  7. Anna,
    How’d did you guys not mention this article

    How did we not mention it? I’m the one who’s “covering” cricket. I work 12-hour days, often without lunch. I post when and what I can. I’m writing a post about that link, too. Sorry I’m not fast enough.

    I love how I came here to escape a horrid day at work and only felt worse for it. Just desserts for seeking distraction.

  8. For anyone who wanted to watch some of the games online, sopcast is broadcasting at least a few of them. Go to sopcast.org and download the player. The sl v bangla game is on ch. 11827, bangladesh is getting pasted.

  9. I post when and what I can.

    Anna – Akka, I hope you’re not feeling under-appreciated! I can’t imagine how much energy it must have taken to anchor three hugely popular threads (that I know of) over the past few days. Then again, one underestimates the energy one can put into the things one loves to do. Just wanted you to know that that love and energy are coming through, and are very greatly appreciated, most certainly by this thamma!

  10. From The Australian:

    ====

    Investigators have also begun to trawl through security tapes from the Pegasus Hotel in Jamaica where the team is staying, with claims last night Woolmer was about to reveal the shady world of match-fixing in a new book called Discovering Cricket.

    Former Pakistan fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz suggested that Woolmer may have been murdered by a betting syndicate.

    “Has Woolmer carried with him to the grave dark secrets that could have brought ruin upon Pakistan’s players?” he said. “Did he pay for being the unwitting receptacle of information that was never to be shared?”

    Nawaz claimed that at least five bookies from Pakistan had landed in the West Indies when the World Cup began and had been in touch with Pakistani players.

    ====

  11. Chachaji, thank you so much for writing such a kind comment, for recognizing how I’m feeling. Very sweet of you and much appreciated. The day feels better already (and considering what’s gone down in the four hours I’ve been here, that’s no small feat).

  12. sorry if it sounds a bit racist but the sub-continent has played havoc with the gme of cricket……yeah the crowds and the money and tha passion is all very well but taking in the socio-cultural context ,the sub-continent contributed its charming ethos of politicking and corruption(match fixing)that permeated the game for most of the 90’s.

    Money and crime would always go hand in hand(thus spake NFA).It might not be certain but my bet is on foul-play being involved……a crazed-out fan…..bookie-contacts who wanted to shut him up lest he indulge in some kiss-and-tell or(the mind shudders),some internal squabble in the team gone too far.

    Anywhichways,if it does indeed turn out that the death wasn’t entirely from natural causes,it will be a disaster for cricket and something that will put off many (including myself) from the game for a long time to come .

    Time for South Asia to clean up its cricket(besides many other things of course)

  13. Former Pakistan cricketers are inveterate drama queens, remember Rashid Latif and his “dramatic” revelations? I’d take Sarfaraz Nawaz’s little bit of media-baiting with a pinch of salt.

  14. I’d take Sarfaraz Nawaz’s little bit of media-baiting with a pinch of salt.

    Excellent timing– that was exactly what we were wondering about in the bunker last night, i.e. how credible is he? He made some frightening allegations…

  15. woolmers wife don’t think so.

    anna, we all appreciate the sm bloggers. it’s just that this website is so popular that a lot of us forget that this project is a part time thing for you folks.

    I work 12-hour days, often without lunch. I post when and what I can. I’m writing a post about that link, too. Sorry I’m not fast enough.

  16. He made some frightening allegations…

    Sarfaraz Nawaz has always been a flame thrower….right since his playing days , on and off the field. While there has been Match-fixing in cricket, I wonder if that was the cause behind Woolmers death.

    oh and Ms Anna, Dont get mad at the #6 comment.. I think , for someone who claims to have little knowledge about the game , you are doing a fine job.

  17. Kingston: Jamaican police confirmed early this morning that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer had been poisoned just hours after saying that autopsy reports had proved inconclusive. Deputy police commissioner Mark Shields said they had launched a full investigation into the suspicious death of Woolmer. A leading Pakistani channel reported that marks were also found on his neck. The police have also restricted the movement of the Pakistani players, who are scheduled to play Zimbabwe in their final match today.

    link

  18. Oye SM Intern I posted a story on news tab about Sarfaraz Nawaz’s allegations, Did you delete it?

    nfa I dont think sub-continent is entirely responsible, most of the betting money comes from Dubai Sheiks. I heard rumours that, Betting on an India-Pakistan Match in the world cup amounts to $2-3 billion. I once met a guy who won Rs. 15 lakhs during the last world cup.

  20. @12, it is racist. matchfixing was hardly limited to south asia, the other (known) equally big players being south africa and australia. and not the desi cricketers in those teams just in case you are wondering.

  21. @12, it is racist. matchfixing was hardly limited to south asia, the other (known) equally big players being south africa and australia. and not the desi cricketers in those teams just in case you are wondering.

    I knew this was coming.But here is my take on this, Match fixing in other nations was never systemic and limited to one-offs maybe.Hnasie Cronje got caught and there was an outrage and he ended up disgraced and shamed like he should have. Back in India and Pakistan however ,everyone who has been deemed to be involved(and there have many many) still go about their buisness running gyms,being socilaites ,appearing on TV shows…..rather than conduct a fullscale inquiry and try and get these men nehind bars(which is what they deserve),everyone was let off with puny symbolic fines and the entire issue swept under the rug with the finesse of seasoned housemaid. You always got the nagging feeling there was much more to it than was revealed and likely because the involvement ran much deeper than just the Azharuddins and the Jadejas and Salim Mallicks.

  23. Most of the money comes from Dubai Sheiks? C’mon now, that’s a loosey-goosey statement. Cricket like all big money professional sports is full of brown envelopes, even white envelopes. Who knows who was most exposed when the Irish gave Pakistan a tonking, but I think you need to consider that gambling syndicates everywhere from Kuala Lumpur to Glasgow to Porpoise Spit could have lost some serious spondulics on Paddy’s Day.

    This is not to say Woolmer was murdered by a hitman working on behalf of a bookie. It could have done by an agent safeguarding Pakistan’s interests. It could have also been the result of words, which turned into handbags.

    It’s looking less and less like a heart attack. How the nine host nations and respective Cricket authorities and supporters will deal with this is going to be interesting. It really isn’t about the cricket anymore.

  24. To add to the match-fixing theme: even when players like Cronje or Samuels were caught, the bookies they dealt with were Desi. These events are just the symptoms of the massive influence that betting in the subcontinent has on the game.

  25. “Awesome, another opportunity for the locals to be introduced to desi interests solely for stereotypically negative reasons.”

    yes. there’s a link to this story on cnn.com’s front page – the only front page link to the cricket world cup so far. and probably the last (unless the woolmer story takes an even more sinister turn), except for maybe announcing the winner at the end.

    anna, i do want to add my voice to the others and commed you for these cricket posts -even these unfortunate subject ones- and catering to us cricket-philes even though it may not be a major concern for you. but your efforts and the enthusiasm that you are mustering for it are appreciated. thanks. it’s not easy being in a cricket-oblivious country at a time like this.

  26. Awesome, another opportunity for the locals to be introduced to desi interests solely for stereotypically negative reasons.

    Not stereotyping but stating the obvious.This is just not about cricket…every human activity operates within the context of a socio-cultural milieu.Corruption is rampant back in the des and it was quite natural it would affect the way we deal with our cricket. Just a little aide

    “The first step towards correcting a problem is acknowledging that the problem exists”-from the couch-sessions.

  27. Yeah ANNA I also want to say thank you for taking the time and being generous with your time to give us these threads — you’re a star.

  28. ok. just got very emotional seeing inzi get out and leave the field for the last time in an ODI. he deserved better circumstances under which to leave.

    nfa, shane warne and mark waugh continued their illustrious careers even after being caught dealing with bookies. the aussie cricketing establishment barely slapped them on the wrist. even bob woolmer found it hard to accept that hansie cronje had erred so badly and continued to defend him and make excuses for him (naturally, as a friend and mentor he found it hard to swallow) , even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. as long as people are willing to be corrupted, there will be corruptors everywhere, not just in the subcontinent.

  30. Yeah, poor Aloo. He does seem like a decent guy, even if the Cricinfo Pakistan correspondent says he’s got all dictatorial.

    As for the money and the South Asian connection to match fixing, well, most of the money in cricket is in the subcontinent, that’s where the ad revenues (and betting) are biggest, and that’s one of the reasons the BCCI elections are so hotly contested – and let’s not forget, England and Australia are relatively small media markets and there isn’t even that much demand for cricket there any more, except for the Ashes, so the big splashy tournaments and bigger player salaries are being funded disproportionately by desi revenues. Not such a surprise, then, that when corruption occurs, India and Pakistan are prime spots for it, and also that when scandals like the Darrell Hair one erupt, South Asian sentiments have to be handled carefully.

  31. @nfa

    frankly, i don’t see the point of the alternate thread here when you believe south asians are fundamentally corrupt. in that sense if you see people punished you think “the whole team is corrupt but they caught only these”. cant help you there, but that is what people would call “biased”.

    maybe i am naive, but it appears to me that in this case, india and pakistan have done far more than south africa and australia in pursuing match fixing.

    This is just not about cricket…every human activity operates within the context of a socio-cultural milieu.Corruption is rampant back in the des and it was quite natural it would affect the way we deal with our cricket

    and maybe you shouldn’t deal with me—i might be corrupt and scheming too. who knows, the social mileu i grew up in was like that after all. did you check your wallet? still there?

  32. Most of the money comes from Dubai Sheiks? C’mon now, that’s a loosey-goosey statement.

    I agree, I was a bit generalising. As far as I know Dubai is still the centre of betting mafia, but they have expanded into south Asia. BTW did anybody notice that there are not many matches being played in Dubai, What do you make of it?

  33. BTW did anybody notice that there are not many matches being played in Dubai, What do you make of it?

    I assumed that it was because everyone was involved in preparing for the world cup. Also this has been a trend since the ICC moved there right?

  37. saeed anwar’s 194 against india is highest odi score so far, i think.

  39. frankly, i don’t see the point of the alternate thread here when you believe south asians are fundamentally corrupt.

    Neither said nor implied.You are making the same mistake of jumping to conclusions that I used to do a lot when younger.

    1.”Crime is more prevalent in blacks than white people”-fact 2.”Every black person is a criminal”-bias,stereotyping

    maybe i am naive, but it appears to me that in this case, india and pakistan have done far more than south africa and australia in pursuing match fixing.

    Thanks for the humor.They have indeed done a lot,wherever there was the hint of anyone non-Indian involved.Any chargesheet against anyone with brwon skin yet?The only fall-out has been game-suspension for a few people who had fallen out of favor with the establishment,thats all.If Indian authorities were serious about match-fixing,Azharuddin would be wearing striped pyjamas today.

    and maybe you shouldn’t deal with me—i might be corrupt and scheming too. who knows, the social mileu i grew up in was like that after all. did you check your wallet? still there?

    Dont worry amigo,I have no intention of dealing with you.Not because you might be corrupt and scheming(requires a three digit iq to be scheming methinks) but because I generally have an aversion to XY’s who PMS.

    And lastly,to A N N A,

    Never did say thanks for the post.Mucho gracias

  40. this tournament appears to be jinxed. tony cozier just announced that former irish cricket union president has died in jamaica at age 68.

  41. Dont worry amigo,I have no intention of dealing with you.

    we agree on something.

    @35,

    nope 160. too bad.

  42. Heart attack was a stupid stupid initial diagnosis. Heart attacks dont have bloody vomiting as a symptom. Doctors would have found out in the autopsy if it was a heart attack. So that is definitely out of the question. Other diagnosis could be 1.Severe peptic ulcer or oesophageal varices (again would have been easily seen in autopsy) 2. Stroke secondary to the above cause(easily diagnosed by autopsy) 3. Poisoning – intentional or accidental. Now some poisons dont really show macroscopic effects on organs and hence cause cannot be found after autopsy. Best way to detect poisoning is by pathological and forensic studies which I believe are being undertaken. So I guess its just a matter of time before we find out.

  46. This whole world cup has been a total disaster. We (Pakistan) got beat by IRELAND!! I didn’t even know they had a team! Anyway, such is sports.

    One question, totally unrelated, is Pakistan in the Middle East or in Asia/Indian Subcontinent? Growing up in Pakistan I never considered us to be part of the Middle East but wanted to check with other desis etc.

  47. One question, totally unrelated, is Pakistan in the Middle East or in Asia/Indian Subcontinent? Growing up in Pakistan I never considered us to be part of the Middle East but wanted to check with other desis etc.

    South Asia.

  48. Why you gotta say there’s something black in the dal, huh? Why not something white? What, do you like hate everyone with dark skin or something?

    😉 Just keeeeding.