Farewell Bob

Cricket is a sport in which accumulating is a never ending process. There are many who are totally committed to doing that and then get to the stage where that wealth of knowledge gets passed down the generations.

Robert Andrew Woolmer was one such cricketer whose commitment to the game was such that he could be described as one who ate, drank and slept cricket. Sadly it was his connection with the game that brought about his demise. The script of his life has ended but his legend will live on. Woolmer was born in Kanpur, India in May 1948. His father who was a club cricketer introduced his son to the game from the cradle. He came back to England at the age of eight and started schooling and playing the game in Tonbridge, Kent. He worked his way through the ranks to reach the county side. In 1970, Woolmer was a member of the Kent county championship winning side and in the last match of season at the oval, was presented with his county cap by Colin Cowdry

It was in the off season of 1970 – 71 that his association with coaching began. Contracted to play club cricket and coach, he had the first taste of coaching. Woolmer played his first test against Australia and in the final game at the Oval played a test match saving innings and scored his maiden test century. Australian Captain Ian Chappell reminisced on hearing of his death: “I first met Bob in 1972 when we were playing the one day series in England. He was picked in the England side as a one day specialist. The Australians tended to laugh about this, feeling that either you are a good cricketer or not. You didn’t need specialists for different types of games. Anyway, I was soon laughing on the other side of my face, because in the first game he clean bowled me and might have got my brother Greg as well. We then became well and truly aware of Bob Woolmer in 1975, when he got a century at the Oval. He batted for three days, to help England save the game in the fourth test match in the 1975 series. The thing I admired about Bob was that he enjoyed helping young cricketers. He really had genuine love for the game and liked passing on his knowledge. The cricket world will be all the poorer for his passing.”

It was with Warwickshire CCC that Woolmer first got recognized as a top coach. He was there for four seasons bringing in three trophies to the county. Two international stars of that era that played for the county were Alan Donald and Brian Lara.

“My immediate thoughts are with his family and the Pakistani team and my deepest condolences go out to them. I had a wonderful relationship with Bob at Warwickshire in 1994 and our relationship continued to grow over the years even though we sat in different dressing rooms. He was a very focused man with a great love for the game but what shone through was the great love he had for players under his charge, everyone meant something to him” was Lara’s tribute to Woolmer.

Donald the great South African bowler, expressed shock like may others, going on to say, “the news was pretty devastating, to be honest. He was a very, very close friend, actually more than a coach. He was a much respected man. We were together with Warwickshire and South Africa. Bob was an extremely professional man, was an extremely soft person, gave his life to cricket and probably paid for it.”

Coaching Pakistan would have been his last major assignment as he had indicated that he would not continue once his contract expired, later this year. Rameez Raja, former Pakistan captain and currently a TV commentator who covers Pakistan’s entire cricket summed it all up by saying, “What Bob Woolmer did for a team that was at war with each other was truly remarkable. He gave them a sense of direction, belonging, presence and a feeling of togetherness.”
Cricket has lost an honourable servant. May his soul rest in peace.