Almost every news channel’s ‘Breaking News’ had been: “Bob
Woolmer dies in the hotel bathroom.” For a moment, it seemed that the world had
stopped for me. Suddenly, my ecstatic mood ebbed away and I was gripped by
deeper depressions. Bob Woolmer’s sudden death had jolted my world. A pall of
gloom fell over the world cricket!
I was hit by a beamer, but tried to regain all my
concentrations to follow every news bulletin. But my mind was cluttered.
Worse were the days that followed after his death. According
to the print and electronic media, the Jamaican police had declared that Bob
Woolmer was murdered! According to them, either Woolmer had been strangled or
poisoned. Inevitably, there was assumed to be a connection with the Ireland
result, especially given Pakistan ’s
past connection to match-fixing.
The Pakistani players fell under suspicions, and the furore
spread across the planet, to countries that knew nothing about cricket. There
were many contradictory speculations and things turned from ugly to uglier. After
months of less-productive speculations, the Jamaican Police came to a
conclusion that Woomer’s death had been natural.
As one of Woolmer’s ardent followers, I was not enjoying
those speculations regarding his death. People were too much bothered with
controversial issues rather than the great man’s contributions towards the game.
People kept on unleashing new theories about his death from nowhere and created
confusions for nothing.
Were all those necessary during such a tragic time?
While the world was busy with Bob Woolmer’s various death
theories, I kept on thinking, how world cricket would be at a loss after his
sad demise. For those cricket fans, who had followed cricket in the 90s, Bob
Woolmer, alongside Allan Donald, Hansie Cronje and Jonty Rhodes, was a
superstar as well. To that generation of fans, Bob Woolmer had been the first
ever celebrity coach.
His unique methods about cricket coaching and in depth
knowledge about the game were a big hit amongst the cricket followers of the 90s.
The cricket followers of the 90s had witnessed how Woolmer transformed South
Africa into a champion unit. His injection
of technology-based coaching and more indulgence over fielding was highly
appreciated during the 90s and still his various ideas are practiced by many.
His toughest assignment had been coaching Pakistan .
But slowly and steadily, Pakistan
did feel the Woolmer magic. Within a year after Woomer’s takeover as Pakistan ’s
coach, Pakistan
started to dish out consistent results and the year spanning from 2005 to 2006
till the England
tour will remain as one of the finest for Pakistan
in last decade.
Fans pay tribute to Bob Woolmer
He was instrumental in making Inzamam a thinking captain, he
was highly influential in shaping up Younis Khan as a decent cricketer and for
a year he stabilized the Pakistani team. But, sadly, in Pakistan
cricket, stabilities just become illusions in no time – Bob Woolmer found it
tough to move forward amid so much controversy.
As a person, Woolmer was dignified and very friendly in
nature. “I had an amazing relationship with him. He was more than just a coach,
and he had a way of giving off of himself and it was something I could relate
to. That made him more than a coach to me,” Jonty Rhodes’ such a statement
indicates Woolmer’s personality.
He was never like a boss towards the players, but a great
friend. “He was a friend of all the players. I used to call his wife, Gill, mom
so he used to tease her that I am their third son. I know how it feels when you
lose your close ones. Bob used to help each and every player and he has left a
big void in Pakistan
cricket,” said Younis Khan.
His gentle approach had been the key in managing players.
Even amongst the common people he was popular for his
friendly nature. He had that unique ability to win hearts. His cheerful
demeanour was very popular amongst the common people. Like many superstars, off
the screen he was never a moody character but a very humble person.
Bob Woolmer has created a very dynamic impact throughout the
world cricket – modernization of cricket coaching is nothing but Woolmer’s
contribution.
According to former England
captain and Bob Woolmer’s Kent mate Mike Denness: “He was a great lad, a great
motivator. He was a bit eccentric at times but it is a terrible loss. I
remember going to his house in Cape Town
and many years ago he showed me his work room. He had everything on computers
even then. This was before the technology was readily available and he showed
me how he was going to monitor things and study each player’s performance. He
was one of the first to really work on the reverse-sweep shot; he probably
worked at it too much. He taught people to go back when they were playing it
rather than go forward to give batsmen more room to play and he developed a lot
of that.”
“In the same sort of way he too was an allrounder. He could
be a batting coach and a bowling coach. Like Jacques Kallis, if you replace him
with a batsman, the bowling side is weak, and if you replace him with a bowler,
the batting side is weak. Bob had that allround ability as a coach, and that
comes with the way I coach as well,” said Jonty Rhodes about his coaching
abilities.
If you read his book ‘Art and Science of Cricket’ then you
will come to know how he observed and studied the game. Thankfully, I have this
book and the more I read it, the more I get amazed. The more my respect
increases for this man.
It’s hard to find such creative and adventurous characters
these days. His passion for cricket was extreme. He gave his life to cricket
and ultimately died for it. The world of cricket still misses Bob Woolmer.
Note: This article has been published on Sportskeeda on 18/03/2014 The world of cricket still misses Bob Woolmer
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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