Police says Wooler was strangled!!

By Simon Evans

KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) - Jamaican police launched a murder inquiry on Thursday into the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer at the World Cup, saying he was strangled.

Police said the death on Sunday was "due to asphyxiation by manual strangulation."

"Hopefully we will bring the killers to justice as soon as possible," deputy commissioner Mark Shields told a news conference.

"We will use every energy we possibly have to track down the killers."

The 58-year-old Briton died on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room. The previous day, Pakistan were eliminated from the Cricket World Cup by debutants Ireland.

CUP CONTINUES

The sport's governing body said the World Cup would continue despite the launch of the murder inquiry.

Shields said there could be one or more people involved but added that there was no evidence of forced entry into his hotel room.

He appealed for the killer or killers to give themselves up and also asked for witnesses to come forward.

He added that there was no evidence of any theft and would not be drawn on the motive for the murder.

The death of Woolmer, regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, has completely overshadowed the World Cup in the Caribbean which lasts for seven weeks and culminates in the final on April 28.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "We face shock and outrage and great sadness for Bob's family. There has been speculation that as a result of all this, the World Cup will be discontinued. That will not be the case.

"Perhaps it will be a measure of the game and its resolve as to how we can complete this World Cup in view of this shock."

He said the former London Metropolitan Police commissioner Paul Condon was standing by and willing to assist with the murder inquiry. Condon has been involved with helping the ICC fight corruption within the sport.