Bob Woolmer murder

Woolmer probe turns to final email

Cricinfo staff

May 13, 2007

The investigation into the murder of Bob Woolmer has turned to his final email to the PCB. The Sunday Telegraph has reported that there is now a theory that the email, where Woolmer said he would stand down as coach, was faked by his killers.

Detectives are focussing on the language used. People close to Woolmer have said that it clearly wasn't written by him and suggestions are that the author was someone whose first language wasn't English.

Part of the email to Nasim Ashraf, the board chairman, is reported to have said: "I would like to praise my association with the Pakistan team but now I would like to announce my retirement after the World Cup, to live the rest of my life in Cape Town. I have no lust for the job and I will not like others to make personal remarks at me. Professionally, I am open to criticism, I will be ready to continue the job if the president asks me for it."

Neil Manthorp, a respected South African cricket journalist who knew Woolmer well, told The Sunday Telegraph: "I have received hundreds of emails from him over the years and this is not his style - not the sort of words and phrases that he would use."

The email is believed to have been sent at 6am on March 18, a few hours before Woolmer was found in his hotel room by a maid. Mark Shields, Jamaica's deputy commissioner, has flown to Cape Town to meet Gill Woolmer, who is also reported to have reservations about the authenticity of the email.

However, speculation continues in Jamaica that Woolmer may not have been murdered. The Sunday Gleaner is claming that a source in London has told them that Scotland Yard believe there is no evidence of murder and that Woolmer died of a heart attack.

A Jamaican police official said that "the speculations are part of a series of unhelpful reports that have appeared in the media throughout the duration of this investigation".

© Cricinfo

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