Pakistan team rejects match-fixing link to Woolmer's death

Pakistan's cricket team today rejected speculation that the death of their coach Bob Woolmer was linked to match-fixing, and stressed the close relationship he had with his players.

Woolmer was described as a "father figure" to the team, which was staying in London again tonight before their planned flight home to Lahore tomorrow.

Team spokesman Pervez Mir spoke several times to defend the squad's reputation and their relationship with Woolmer, and stressed his belief no player was involved in his murder.

Mr Mir also complained that the team was being "kept in the dark" about their coach's death, after his body was found in his Kingston hotel room last Sunday morning, just hours after Pakistan lost a crucial World Cup match to Ireland. He had been strangled.

Speaking outside their hotel in London, Mr Mir said: "He was more than a coach, he was more like a father figure. He used to help the boys and now that he's not here to defend himself, I think it's unfair that there's an unjust media trial."

He added: "When a man has been murdered, to divert a murder inquiry into a match-fixing inquiry, that's not fair, because we have to find the killers, then we will know what happened. To bring up the murky world of match-fixing, I think it's not the right thing, and not the right time."

Mr Mir also dismissed the suggestion that relations between Woolmer and Pakistani captain Inzaman ul-Haq had been strained, insisting they were actually "wonderful".

And he said a video of the team in a World Cup practice session would be released to show the good working relationship Woolmer had with the players.

Asked in an earlier interview with BBC Radio 5 Live whether he believed any players were involved in the murder, he insisted: "Absolutely not."