India-Pakistan match proposed to fund Woolmer academy

[coffee_rules]

Why should India oblige? Honestly, Eng/SA and Pak should play a triangular one-off series and fund this academy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India-Pakistan match proposed to fund Woolmer academy July 17, 2007 Bob Woolmer's widow Gill has requested India and Pakistan to play a Twenty20 game to raise funds for a cricket academy the former Pakistan coach had planned to set up in South Africa. Woolmer's family intend to bring his plans to fruition through a trust fund set up in his memory. "She has written to the board president requesting to play a Twenty20 match for the academy," Niranjan Shah, Indian board secretary, told Reuters. "A decision has not been taken yet. We need to find the time because we've already finalised our schedule." Woolmer died in Jamaica on March 18, a day after Pakistan suffered a shock defeat against Ireland and were knocked out in the first round of the World Cup. His death was investigated as murder until after the tournament when Jamaican authorities announced it was due to natural causes.

[Predator_05]

Obvious, isn't it ? An Indian match would generate the most money.

[coffee_rules]

My point is "Just because we can, it doesn't mean we should".

[gator]

i say, send the india A team for all these benefit ties....

[Zooter]

Indo-Pak Cricket. Is there anything in modern sport that can compete?? Come on--two countries that want to go nuke war with one another obviously can't ... for the sake of humanity ... so they duke it out in cricket. When it's done right, ... ... there's NOTHING BETTER

[coffee_rules]

Ehsaan Faramosh Log! 'Charity India-Pak tie not possible' Karachi, July 19: Pakistan has expressed its inability to play a Twenty20 match against India to raise funds for their former coach Bob Woolmer's cricket academy in South Africa because of a packed international schedule. Widow of Bob Woolmer, Gill had written to the cricket Board's of Pakistan and Indian to arrange a Twenty20 match to raise funds for the academy coming up in memory of her husband in Cape town. "It is just not possible to schedule any match for the next year or so because of our hectic international schedule. But we are willing to help in other ways to set up the academy," Director, cricket operations, Pakistan cricket Board Zakir Khan, said on Thursday. He said that Woolmer remained a much admired and respected person in Pakistan cricket and since his death the Board had been supportive of his family in many ways. "But it is very difficult to play a twenty20 match with India because even when we tour India in November-December the itinerary is already finalised and can't be revised," he said. He said that the ICC had already kept a regulation that teams cannot play more than seven Twenty20 matches in a year and Pakistan has already committed to the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September. "We would like to help but it is a difficult situation for us to escape from our tight schedule," he said. Woolmer, the former England player died in Kingston, Jamaica during the World Cup in the West Indies in March. The PCB has named an area of its National Cricket Academy in Lahore in his memory.

[beetle]

This may seem rude...but I can think of a thousand more worthy causes for such a charity event. He was supposed to start the cricket academy....who is going to do it now?It seems like a cause just for the heck of it ! I am sorry....I would rather have one more practice match before we meet the aussies....

[gator]

thts true Rads... i would rather, tht these guys played for victims of some disaster or illness, doesnt matter which country than playing for the widow of a rich coach (RIP)....

[MundaPakistani]

This may seem rude...but I can think of a thousand more worthy causes for such a charity event. He was supposed to start the cricket academy....who is going to do it now?It seems like a cause just for the heck of it ! I am sorry....I would rather have one more practice match before we meet the aussies....

I can see where you are coming from but remember the guy devoted all his life to this game. No one currently involved in cricket has done as much as Bob did to move this sport sport forward so surely it won't hurt to play a 20 over game to help complete the man's mission.

[King]

When Pakistan and South Africa are shying away there is no point even talking to BCCI.

[MundaPakistani]

Indo-Pak Cricket. Is there anything in modern sport that can compete?? Come on--two countries that want to go nuke war with one another obviously can't ... for the sake of humanity ... so they duke it out in cricket. When it's done right, ... ... there's NOTHING BETTER

What?

[gator]

No one currently involved in cricket has done as much as Bob did to move this sport sport forward

i dont buy tht... u got evidence? he was jus a rich, moderately successful coach... and definitely a nice man passionate about the game... nothing more than tht....

[beetle]

i dont buy tht... u got evidence? he was jus a rich' date=' moderately successful coach... and definitely a nice man passionate about the game... nothing more than tht....[/quote'] I agree with gator here MP.... I wouldn't at all mind if it was a benefit match for Bob's family ...or for his children .....but to have a match to set up an academy which was probably his vision is a bit far fetched. Who knows what he wanted? Besides what does his wife know about cricket academies..... Seriously it just seems like a request for a benefit match without wanting to look like asking for it .

[MundaPakistani]

i dont buy tht... u got evidence? he was jus a rich' date= moderately successful coach... and definitely a nice man passionate about the game... nothing more than tht....

Bob was the best teacher the game had! He taught the game to people all over the world for 20+ years and was seen as a great innovator and brought some new facets to the game. He was also one of the main reasons for the emergence of the associate teams (Ireland being one of them). Name me one person who after retirement has done more for the game than Bob?

[MundaPakistani]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/pakistan/6909779.stm Pakistan have agreed to play a special Twenty20 match against India to raise money for a cricket academy to be named after their late coach, Bob Woolmer. He was planning to build the academy in South Africa to help develop the game at grassroots level. And his widow, Gill, wants the project to go ahead despite his death during the World Cup earlier this year. She hopes the match will be staged either in India or England, but no date has yet been fixed. A statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board said they "fully supported" the idea. "The PCB has already communicated to Gill Woolmer its commitment to play this match and will certainly opt for any venue that the host board agrees upon be it ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] or BCCI [indian Board of Control]. "PCB is even willing to play this match during the forthcoming Pakistan tour to India in November-December 2007 and consent from the BCCI is awaited on this." Woolmer died after collapsing in his hotel room in Jamaica following Pakistan's surprise defeat by Ireland. An initial pathologist's report concluded that he had been strangled. But Jamican police later announced they were satisfied that Woolmer had in fact died of natural causes after three expert witnesses contradicted the original findings. Last week, meanwhile, the PCB appointed former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson as Woolmer's successor. He will take charge of the team for the first time at the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in September.

[theguyinallblue]

i don't under stand what has India got to do with Bob woolmer...He was the coach of Pakistan team...he played for England...His family is in South Africa.. i am not able to understand the motive behind Gill's request..? she should have asked ECB or SA.. PCB has played their cards well here...they know that BCCI will not agree to this...and this way PCB will come clean... BCCI should agree for the match..and should field some Ranji team for the game..