Woolmer's website appeals fans to donate for cricket Academy

Johannesburg, July 24 (UNI) Former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer's website, which was used to interact with his fans, is now helping the Bob Woolmer Trust Fund raise money for his cricket Academy.

The website www.bobwoolmer.org, now known as Bob Woolmer Trust Fund, is appealing to cricket fans to donate money for a number of projects that he was involved with at the time of his passing.

The trustees of the fund include Gill Woolmer (Woolmer's widow), his two sons Dale and Russell, former South African cricketers Jonty Rhodes and Barry Richards and Professor Tim Noakes, co-author of Woolmer's book, ''Discovering Cricket: The Art and Science of the Game.'' According to the Website appeal, the funds raised will be used ''To ensure that his legacy and teachings live on through the creation of the Bob Woolmer Cricket Academy (BWCA) that is going to be built outside Nelspruit in the South African Lowveld.'' It will also be used ''to ensure that his book 'Discovering Cricket: The Art and Science of the Game' co-written with Prof. Tim Noakes, gets published.

This cricket manifesto (book) and the philosophy behind it will become the foundation for the coaching and teachings at the Academy.

Another objectives will be to help ''children from underprivileged communities in South Africa benefit in both a sporting and academic way.'' However, at the same time ''The Academy is for the benefit of world cricket not just South African cricket and will be run as a not-for-profit organisation.'' Further the website states that a part of the funds raised will be used ''to provide financial security for his immediate family -- wife Gill, and sons Dale and Russell, (as) their breadwinner has died and they need to be looked after in the future.'' Woolmer's wife has requested PCB and BCCI to stage a benefit match to raise funds for the cricket academy.

UNI