Salute To Bob By Rashid Latif !!!

Source: http://www.rlca.com.pk/rashbobsalute.asp

Salute to Bob
By Rashid Latif

I was extremely angry the way we lost to West Indies in the inaugural match of World Cup 2007. But after the loss against Ireland , I was shell-shocked and did not want to write or talk about Cricket. But with the heartbreaking demise of Bob, feelings of immense distraught have engulfed the world of cricket and I feel myself compelled to salute this person.

Robert Andrew Woolmer was truly a universal person: Born in India , played for England , coached South Africa & Pakistan and worked on the ICC Cricket Development Program. He had the rare distinction of watching the world's two highest ever scores in first-class cricket. As a young boy, he saw Pakistani batsman Hanif Mohammad score the then world record 499 for Karachi - And then as the Coach of Warwickshire, he saw Brian Lara break that record with his 501* against Durham at Edbaston in 1994.

Woolmers’ greatest service to the game was that he initiated the ICC Cricket Development Program of ICC. As part of this program, Ireland was one of the countries Woolmer coached with great passion and the best Irish cricket triumph came in front of the eyes of Woolmer.

I wrote in my last article that Woolmer was a most capable coach, but may be lacking patriotic sentiments, when it came to prepare Pakistan . I was wrong in that assessment, since his death shows that he seems to be more patriotic than the current and former cricketers. At the time of writing this article - What has been surprising is that despite all this and a shameful ouster from WC’07, it has been learnt through PCB sources that Board Chairman Dr. Nasim Ashraf has resigned, but still no outright decision has been announced – This is sad. And then more surprisingly, our Captain Inzimam-ul-Haq is still pondering his future. He owes it to the nation to resign immediately from both types of cricket. Why Inzimam would want to play more test cricket? May be that he needs 19 more runs to go past great Javed Miandad in Test Cricket.

I still can recall how Mark Taylor declaring the innings and not crossing Bradman highest individual Aussies score, since Bradman was alive at that time. Inzimam just wants to break record of his own country fellowman great Javed Miandad. It seems he is merely caring for personal glory and does not care about the future of Pakistani Cricket. Most unfortunately this is the way he led the team in the past one odd year.

Lately there have been so many controversies. Most of the senior players had been voicing their concern on the dictatorial manner, in which Inzimam had suddenly started to exert influence. I had suggested in my article one year ago that Inzimam should retire, since he had as well developed back problem, which was hampering his ability to concentrate and stay at the wicket. It was Inzimam’s bad influence on important decisions and poor planning that has dearly cost Pakistan .

Woolmer was doing his best, when suddenly Inzimam took over everything. As human beings, everyone has some shortcomings and Woolmers’ was that he didn’t press upon Pakistan Cricket Board to clearly demarcate his and Inzimam’s roles. Now the longer Inzimam will try to linger, the more Pakistani cricket will suffer.

Result is we are out of WC’07 in the first week of the tournament and we have lost Bob Woolmer. This is a big loss to the world of cricket. There is no doubt about his skills as a coach. He was a deep thinker of the game and his death shows his character, which is his deep involvement with Pakistan cricket team.

The way every Pakistani has felt: I hope that all the 15 members’ Pakistani squad has felt the same guilt on the death of Bob Woolmer.

Lets’ salute this stalwart coach of the world of cricket – Woolmer: You will always be remembered.

the salute was less than criticism of inzi...
rashid, why u talking of records n such when this article was supposed to be a tribute to woolmer??? Even my little brother could've thought of stuff to fill in for bob. Please write another article to honor Bob.

atleast he paid tribute to the guy unlike some of our other greats. also admitted he was wrong in questioning bob's patriotism in pak's success.

very true, thanks

A U turn from Latif...after criticizing his 'Patriotic (ness)' towards the team he coached just cause he was a Gor.aa; now he tries to shift focus by pointing to Inzi for the debacle; Latif, you should be ashamed of yourself for acting like a Lotaa!

If this was a tribute to a fallen soldier then I really don't want to read your articles when it is a critical piece

And, BTW, which 'Senior Players' he is talking about besides Akhtar; I would really love to know the names...i.e. if that really is the truth

I do`nt understand what you mean by the u-turn.

I think this is a fantastic obituary, a humble one knowing what straightforward character Rashid is. He clearly admits his mistake and corrects himself. His point about patriotism is eye opening. Bob has certainly shown more love for Pakistan cricket then any of our pathetic yellow, flat track bully stars.

What I am surprised about is the intensity of his feeling about Inzimam. Remember he was the person who insisted on Inzimam`s return after 2003 debacle when for all intents and purposes his career was over. Inzimam went on to have fantastic 2 years in the team as batsman. He also played a big part in clearing the rift between Shoaib and Inzimam. Having displaced Rashid as captain I never read or heard Inzimam ever acknowledge his benefactor nor did he support him when Rashid was kicked out prematurely.

I completely agree with his assessment that Inzimam was a major cause for the lethargy seen in Pakistan team

I agree with all his criticism of Inzi but he should have done it another time, this was supposed to be a salute to Bob not a middle finger salute to Inzi.

guys what i want to know is what will inzi do or can do when he finally retires from both games?

your thoughts please.

Move to Afghanistan, become a taliban leader and happily force people to pray and whip them for shaving their beard?

i think he already is over qualified for the job after the experience with 11 plus cricket players.

I guess all of the above but after scoring the necessary 22 runs to overtake Javed Miandad as the highest run getter for Pakistan. I totally agree with Rashid Latif that this is the reason for him staying on. He is a self obsessed person who was more intersted in his announcements when everybody was bewildered about Bob Woolmer`s sudden death

As Rashid wrote, he was so frustrated that he did not want to talk and write about cricket: So he took just one stab in saluting Bob and criticizing Inzi rather than writing two separate articles...

Plus Rashid was in favor of Inzi until Inzi started to develop back aches and this is what he has mentioned here that he wrote one year ago that Inzi should retire, especially since he as well had developed the back problems...

About the players, he meant generally all the former players and not any particular (like one of us may be thinking he is pointing towards Shoaib): Saying Woolmer is the only one who died, when only the previous day he had worn Pakistani Color: So he almost died adorning Pakistani Green Kit....

Rashid is becoming another embittered whining old fool. Probably putting his hat in the ring for the coach's job. Where is the salute to Bob? You were wrong and made to look a fool. No need to repeat the mistake by making further twisted foolish rermarks.

Regardless of whether it was a tribute to Bob or a criticism of Inzi, I agree with this:

"Most of the senior players had been voicing their concern on the dictatorial manner, in which Inzimam had suddenly started to exert influence. I had suggested in my article one year ago that Inzimam should retire, since he had as well developed back problem, which was hampering his ability to concentrate and stay at the wicket. It was Inzimam’s bad influence on important decisions and poor planning that has dearly cost Pakistan .

Woolmer was doing his best, when suddenly Inzimam took over everything. As human beings, everyone has some shortcomings and Woolmers’ was that he didn’t press upon Pakistan Cricket Board to clearly demarcate his and Inzimam’s roles. Now the longer Inzimam will try to linger, the more Pakistani cricket will suffer. "

I ddn't see Rashid complaining when he was boarding the bus at Bristol in the summer. Happy to be back in the fold and work with Inzy and Bob then. Now suddenly he can't knock Bob in the current climate so he turns his venom on Inzy.

Sorry Rashid you are just noise - part of the embittered twisted whining old players brigade.

Forget the guilt - there was no sense of shame either as Inzamam announced his retirement to news reporters just when his mate Woolmer's death was being relayed.

I don't believe Inzi has decided to continue playing test cricket in order to break any records. What else is a cricketer supposed to do, but continue playing the game he loves. He was man enough to fall on his sword as far as captaincy and ODI cricket was concerned and we should applaud him for that. After all, the entire team played rubbish, so he's not the only one at fault here.

I do agree that Inzi did take control of the team and led poorly, but his heart was probably in the right place. You would want to take charge of a team which constantly turns to you to dig them out of a hole everytime their batting collapsed. We ought to give Inzi the benefit of the doubt in all his actions thus far.

Do you seriously think his a$$ won't have been blasted into oblivion by the Pak masses had he again decided to hold on to captaincy EVEN after such sterling mega-failures?

Totally agreed...as a player, he still can help the Test Team a lot; the innings against SA in the 2nd Test showed just that. He was out of form and yet played a match winning innings.

I think they should play him on a rotational basis and groom a youngster that way

On the part about Inzi taking full control, yes he was gonna be blasted either way after a loss...whether he took complete control or not!

Bari is a lying, brown nosing, hideous fool...who only cares for his chair; reports say that now he is trying to see if he can emerge as the New PCB chief.

If that happens, I will probably have to take up following 'Bird Watching' as a sport or something

I have no doubt that he and all the rest would have been lynched, but then that is not new to any Pakistani cricketer and not all of them have immediately relinquished their position.

He took responsibility for their failure and that is not something which you see too often in Pakistan. Any other captain may have been tempted to blame events on the pitch, or the coach etc etc.

now why would inzi quit one day and not test cricket.

perhaps because odi take their toll on the body or perhaps the result of ODI are controleld by the mafia.

perhaps ODI are all a farce (satta) now and that is why he is quitting? after the "green top" debacle he might have been thinking how to move forward.


i dont beleive that inzi is after miandad's record. for that all he needed to do is clear the record and then announce his retirement.