Woolmer and Inzamam not quitting yet after Irish shock

KINGSTON, Jamaica, March 18 (Reuters) Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq both declined to make hasty decisions on their future after they crashed out of the World Cup by losing to debutants Ireland.

The three-wicket loss to the Irish at Sabina Park yesterday was a huge embarrassment to the 1992 champions.

Ireland now eye a likely passage into the Super Eights and Pakistan have a game against Zimbabwe that will now be just for pride on Wednesday.

Inzamam, 37, who said he has certainly played his fifth and final World Cup, refused to make any announcements on his future either as captain or as a one-day international player.

''I have just finished the game and I haven't had time to think about my future right now,'' Inzamam told reporters.

''It's too early to say what might happen as we have just finished the game but yes, there are bound to be changes, there should be changes.'' WALK AWAY On his World Cup career, which began with the 1992 triumph under Imran Khan's captaincy, Inzamam said: ''Every player has to go one day and I've had my innings. My departure hasn't gone very well but that's the name of the game.'' English coach Woolmer, 58, is contracted to the Pakistan Cricket Board until June 30 but it is likely he will walk away or will be allowed to walk away by the PCB.

The volatile nature of Pakistani cricket where changes to personnel often follow poor results will demand changes in some capacity but Woolmer is not rushing into any decisions.

''I would like to sleep on my future as a coach,'' Woolmer said. ''It's what I do best, what I try to do best. Therefore I'm not going to throw away coaching just like that.

''However, internationally I will give it some thought.

Travelling and being involved non-stop in hotels and so on takes its toll.'' SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE In terms of the Ireland humiliation, Woolmer blamed the pitch and the toss as having a significant influence on the result. He was equally critical, though, of the Pakistan batsmen who crumbled to 132 all out.

Ireland reached 133-7 as Trent Johnston won the match with a six over mid-wicket, to celebrate St Patrick's Day in the best possible fashion.

''There were extenuating circumstances -- the pitch was grassy and soft at the beginning of the game, it wasn't hard and dry like it was in the first game against the West Indies,'' Woolmer said.

''Therefore, the ball was going to do something in the morning and the toss was important. That's not an excuse, the players didn't bat very well. It was a tough pitch that evened out the sides a bit.

''Saying that, although Ireland have an inexperienced seam attack and they bowled well, we should have scored 190-200 runs.

''But no one can say we didn't try hard in the field. There were times when we could have bowled them out. We planned to bowl them out for 90.'' REUTERS SAM BST1010