What would Bob Woolmer have wanted? Something like "if anything were to happen to me during the World Cup, then it should go on. If you did want to honour my memory, then that is what should happen". Actually, we will never know, but I think this is a fair assessment of how most of the big figures in the game would feel, in similar circumstances.
Bob was a "big figure in the game". The World Cup should continue. Call the prize the 'Bob Woolmer Trophy' if you wish, in his memory - but let the contest continue.

Paul, Halesworth, UK

I was in Barbados in February and all the West Indians I met were excited and proud to be hosting the World Cup. They have put in a lot of hard work to get the grounds ready and many poorly-paid fans have saved hard for their tickets.They have been talking of nothing else for months and It would be a terrible blow to them to have the tournament cancelled. Yes, Bob Woolmer's death is a tragedy but cricket-lovers can pay their respects without making the West Indian supporters suffer.

David Hussll, Millom, Cumbria

although its very sad but it is an event which must carry on. if we stop it now it is possible in future that some people may try to disrupt this kind of games through their wrong tactics. it should continue... we all mis woolmer.

zulfiqar ali, london, uk

Should the Cricket World Cup be cancelled?
We do not yet know why Bob was murdered and as a Kent County Cricket Club supporter I think he would have wanted the Cup to continue.
To draw a parallel, last week, after Tottenham was beaten by Chelsea in the second leg of the FA Cup, a Spurs fan tried to attack a Chelsea player - If he had succeeded, and the attack had proved fatal, would the FA Cup have been cancelled? One fans aberration!?

Michael Cumming, Saffron Walden, England

Indeed, how stupid to think that a human life
tragically taken in brutal circumstances, might actually have the importance to match the corrupt money-driven circus that the Cricket World Cup is now clearly revealed to be. I love cricket but I (bizarrely) value life even more. I would have thought the message sent out by the continuation of the competition is that you can murder somebody and still be allowed further opportunities to fix some of the remaining matches. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Alan, Oswestry, UK

I can not believe that things have come to this in the world of cricket! If match fixing is to blame for Bob Woolmers untimely death, then YES the rest of the matches MUST be cancelled. Devoted cricket fan.
South Africa & England

Mrs.D. Watt, Solihull, England

i think that it shouldnt be cancelled because lots of people (including me) have been looking forward to watching the next match . There would be a big uproar if the cricket world cup is cancelled.

mehvish, halifax, uk

The cricket world cup should be immediately postponed / cancelled after the death of a Bob Woolmer if proved due to match fixing in cricket teams. Else ICC officials will be proved moralless money minded without game spirit.

Mukesh Soni, Melbourne, vic

If you cancel the tournament, then any gambling gang knows it now has a real weapon. Just murder the coach or a player in the next cricket tournament, and there's an end to it (thereby cutting their losses).

And the real losers are the people of the Caribbean who have spent the last 10 years heavily investing in, and preparing their facilities for this tournament.

Patricia, St Michael, Barbados

I am in NY and let me tell you all something.Those of you in the subcontinent only want the game to be cancelled for the mere fact that that your teams have been kicked out of the World Cup or obviously have no chance of winning.What happen in Jamaica would have happen anywhere Bob was.Too much money was lost and would have lost for a favorite as pakistan to bow out soon.So this stupid idea of stopping the games because Bob died will not change the facts.LET THE GAMES ROLE

claude, Brooklyn, USA ,Brooklyn

Allan Donald said it should be cancelled. The ICC says it will go ahead. I assume then that Donald will quit his high-paying job as TV analyst in South Africa and follow his own recommendations.
Please .... it is a terrible tragedy but cricket cannot stop because of this.

Phil, St.John's, Antigua

I am absolutely certain in my mind that Mr Woolmer would not want the competition to be cancelled. I would suggest that a new trophy, 'The Bob Woolmer Trophy', be given to the most successful ICC Associate (the smaller non test unions) team. The teams could be guaged on success, fairplay etc..

hmh, london, united kingdom

Bob Woolmer was a very good human being and lived for the game, he mentioned during his life time that cricket was his religion. I don't suppose for one minute that he would have wanted the tournament to be cancelled. May his soul rest in peace.

Ashanollah, Croydon, Surrey

This world cup should be renamed as BOB WOOLMER world cup. Then it will be a great honour to Bob Woolmer.

Arnold Jhon, dartford, UK

Revenue and sposorship was always the reason to cotinue the corruption in this game.Bob has given his life for the betterment of this game.This is again a chance for us to probe match fixing seriously.This world cup has no meaning now.If we are going to cotinue this tournament then we are providing the life line for the corrupt players and bookies.I urge every body to think and unite to get rid corruption from this game once for all.

Dr Asif Alam, Cardiff, UK

Bob Woolmer what a legend he was. It was in his spirit for anything to carry on no matter the circumstances.

Richard McHarron, Liverpool,

And you're wasting everyone's time with this question for what reason?

Ivor Thatsall, Richmond, Virginia

I'm pretty sure Bob Woolmer would have insisted on the continuation of the World Cup. They should continue and be played in his honour.

Will, Hong Kong,

Bob Woolmer would have wanted the World Cup to continue and so it should. Play the rest of the games out in his honour.

Will, Hong Kong,

I am sure that Bob and his family would want the world cup to carry on, there have been many critics about the world cup being hosted in Jamacia, but this would have happened wherever the world cup took place, the police have got their work cut out, so come on all you players play for Bob whatever team you play for.

jules, manchester, uk

We should listen to the one who knew him best, his wife, she has said several time Bob would not want the games cancelled. Lets continue and dedicate each match to the man who loved the game so much. Rest in peace Bob you'll be missed.

Kathy, Sheffield, England

Stop the cricket completely to flush the culprit out, because if cricket means so much to these persons then no cricket will only flush them out.

Is a life worth more than money? NO

Who ever says that it is-is the killer.

Shahzad, London, UK

From the day that the Caribbean was awarded the games, certain journalists from the 'big' countries decided that the region should not have the games and would not successfully host them. Since then we have been subjected to every extravagent accusation by these critics. Now that the games have started they are looking for every human flaw to headline to show that their claims were correct. The ridiculous call from certain quarters to cancel the games is as ludicrous as Atlanta cancelling the Olympics after the Centennial Park bombing or Churchill surrendering to Hitler after the first British casualty in World War II.
Some people need to put their imperialist biases away and simply celebrate another World Games that try to demonstarte the best of human ability.
Why is it that we as a species find it so damn difficult to celebrate ourselves.

island man, Caribbean,

The people of the Carribbean and it's guest surely takes priority over this most tragic event. I am a life time fan of Bob Woolmer, a man who was clearly in love with the game and it's people - a Kent Man. As a Jamaican born and a West Indian, it sadden me to read some of these comments and listen to so called experts. The region is classed as Third World and to The Carribbean People, as a group, this must rank as the 2nd most important event in it's history (the 1st is also very topical at the moment)
There was a lot of speculation as to whether we would be ready on time to stage The Cricket World Cup and boy have the doubters been proven wrong.
There's nothing in this world untouched by gambling and all involved in this event, by taking part, are tarnished. Yes the world of controversy follows Bob around and much as i am a FAN, my mind will wonder.
The Cricket World Cup must go on. The Jamaican Police and it's agents have their work to do. They will not mess up on this one.

Sebastian Banton, London,

It is better to stop the comming matches of world cup, either it should cancelled or be postponed.

Navaraj Paudel, Chitwan, Nepal

Maybe if I were elsewhere watching from afar the tragic happenings of this week I would take a similar view of the many expressed here that the World Cup be
cancelled. However, I am in Kingston seeing the media circus through my window. It is quite real to me, and it is not at all pleasant. Despite this, I read many of these comments with profound amazement, thinking, "do these people really realize how much effort went into putting on this event?". In Jamaica there was tremendous debate over the spending of billions of jamaican dollars to construct one cricket park, renovate another and also to get the country prepared. Other islands in the region have made the same sacrifice, even while knowing full well that this expenditure could never be recovered. With pride we watched the opening ceremony and all talk of of money disappeared. Now we have this awful crime committed here. I tell you that at this time, it's only the continuation of the games that gives us any reason to smile.

Neil, Kingston, Jamaica

The matches looks like being fixed. It is important that the culprits should be behind the bars and be brought out. Until all the match fixing elements in Cricket are unearthed now CRICKET it self should be banned.

If the WORLD CUP continues I think it would be the greatest shame.

Ganesh, Mumbai, MH

yes it should be called off.

All controversies should be sorted out first and then organize the game.

ICC is the biggest culprit, followed by the respective cricketing boards, organizers, players,.......

Srikanth, Hyderabad,

ICC is not taking this matter seriously,I feel rather am convinced that the priority at this point in time is to un-earth the murderers of Bob.World cup is not the important measure or the loss of revenue infact it is BOB Woolmer.We feel deprived,dejected and more so embarrassed as a nation. I beg the authorities to freeze the event and devote all resources to un-earth the culprits.

Masood, Pakistan, Pakistan

And may I ask why the world cup should be called off? I can't see why. In every major event there will always be some mishap or some unforseen circumstance. We cant just cancel an event because something happens that will keep people from investing in the event. What has to be done is to ensure that there is no repeat of such.

hezie, Port of-Spain, trinidad and tobago

I agree with Michael James of Bendigo; let's return all sports to amateur status. We have had well founded allegations of match fixing in the soccer world cup, and now a senior figure has been murdered in the cricket world cup supposedly because what he knew about criminal involvement. No sport is worth a human life. This particular competition has been tarnished irretrievably, and should be abandoned or at least postponed (but of course it won't happen because the game is now so compromised by "professionalism" and moneyed interests).

Carl, Adelaide, Australia

Yes, the World Cup should be called off!!.

There must be a larger picture than meets the eye to the death of BOB. May be all the matches are fixed and we are just following the game as idiots.

All the questions must be answered first, speculations cleared and than the Cup should be reorganized in the best interest of cricket and the sport in general.

Srikanth, Hyderabad,

Yes the world cup should be cancelled forwith on the death of Bob Woolmer.

anthony pippet, London, UK

History has always proved the conspiracy theorists right. And it will happen again. First Hansie, then Bob. While it may be good to be nice to people when they are alive, it is our duty to speak the truth of dead men. There is no denying that Woolmer was "in" on several controversies in his coaching career. Fact of the matter is everything is fixed, when there's money involved and it would be naive for us to ignore it. Calling off the world cup would fix the bookies, but they won't do it, will they? They are all in it together!

S, Bareilly, India

Speaking as a Barbadian who has watched his tax dollars get spent on preparations for this tournament, I would hate to see the World Cup canceled. It will mean economic ruin for my country as well as the other country hosts if such a cancellation were to occur.

Ian, Washington DC, USA

In the first place the motive behind Wolmer's murder is still to be established. There is no real justification for cancelling the series at this stage. The West Indian Cricket Council went to an awful lot of expense setting up this world cup and they, plust the very many cricket fans from home and aborad should not be punished for the dastardly act by callous murderer(s). Let the games go on.

Yolande M. Agble
Accra Ghana

Yolande M. Agble, Accra, Ghana

The World cup should not be cancelled, the Police are investigating the whole matter, the loss will be huge on the sub-continent. He was a fantastic coach and as a person as well. He is no more that we cannot change but we can continue what he would have loved us to finish

Fahd Siddiqui
Sheffied UK

fahd Siddiqui, sheffield, UK

The death of a human being is always a sad event and when this is due to a murder it is even much more difficult to accept it.
Some Spanish newspapers point out he might have been killed for losing the match against Ireland. If that it is proofed to be so, There is no doubt the World Cup should be cancelled

Angela, Madrid, Spain

It would not be viable to cancel the world cup even in such an awful event. Why would a coach so closely linked with the Cronje betting scam go back to where the cricket betting all started. He has always denied hving any part in gambling. The rumour is that the Ireland game was thrown and he was going to expose this. This would give a viable motive.

Matt Dudleston, Devon, England

It wouldn't be a viable option to cancel the world cup even though i do believe this is a disasteous event. It was well known that he was linked with the cronje when he was done for match fixing. Why would a coach go back to where match fixing all started? Was the Ireland game fixed and if so this would be a motive for his murder would it not!?

Matt Dudleston, Devon, England

Bob was cricket through and through. He wouldnt want the biggest spectacle in the game stopped at his behest. Stopping the tournamnet wouldnt bring him back. Besides, a bomb didnt stop the Atlanta olympics so why should a murder stop this.

Adam, London, UK

Bob Woolmer was the best cricket coach South Africa ever had. Bob had such a love for the game of cricket. I beleive he would have wanted the world cup to continue and not be cancelled on his behalf.

Peter Swinney, Durban, South Africa

Being pragmatic in circumstances where pragmatism is necessary but distasteful the world cup must go ahead. Otherwise the ICC will be insolvent if contracts are not honoured. The TV contracts, sponsors and the cruise ships moored at Barbados to accomodate the fans who have not yet travelled will bankrupt the cricket authorities who will not then have the resources to investigate corruption in cricket. They must play on perhaps for the Woolmer trophy?

Ian Scott, Wokingham, England

Although this whole episode is casting an ugly and tragic shadow over the whole event, I really don't see what would be acheived by cancelling the tournament now.

Phil White, Penarth, Wales

Of course the World Cup should be cancelled. Cricket followers (keep the word "fans" for Football please) are thoroughly tired of the corruption so rife in the sub-continent.

It is up to the ICC to stamp it out - trouble is, they don't have the balls to do it !

Dave Reynell, KNYSNA, South Africa

In my view the competition should go ahead as this is undoubtedly what Bob would have wanted. Security should be tightened however and appropriate ways of honouring Bob in this tournament should be explored.

Ray Ashton, Burton upon Trent, England

If Bob Woolmer had died of natural cases then the compition should carry on and be played in his memory.

But as the English Gentleman of Cricket was murdered then it is a disgrace that they World Cup is still going on, it should be stopped NOW!

Or is A Life so worthless to the Cricket Board.

Nick .N, Countesthorpe, Leicestershire

How sad this beautiful game has been a)involved in corruption & b)caused the death of Bob Woolmer, who was probably, trying his level best to stamp it out!! Albeit, the temptation to cancel the rest of the matches seems the right thing to do, Bob Woolmer loved the game, with a passion, hence his untimely death, so play on lads & play with the passion he inspired!!! God bless you Bob & Thank you!

Christine McKenzie, Wembley. Middlesex, England

I agree, the World should be at least postponed, although I think a postponement would end up tantamount to a cancellation as all the reservations and tickets and planning would be thrown out the window.

There are logical reasons it should be cancelled. First of all, the safety of all the participants is now drawn into question, and the possibility of foul play implies corruption/gambling affecting the world cup and that should be figured out before any more games are played. This murder wasn't about stopping the world cup, it wasn't terrorism or whatnot, it was something more insidious and I don't think the matches can continue safely.

Hector Maquieira, Ann Arbor, Michigan

It should be stopped. Winning at all costs now includes murder. There is no sport anymore. The culprit is money and betting. Let us salute those in the past who played for the fun of it. They were real sportsmen and women.

K Long, Munich, Germany

Can people please stop saying that the world cup should continue because 'thats what Bob would have wanted'. We do not know what Bob would have wanted. I suspect that if his death was in any way linked to a cricketing scandal then he would not have wanted the world cup to continue.

Simon Evans, Bristol, UK

Just because such a seemingly nice bloke has been terribly dealt with in such an awful way,is no reason to deprive a world of cricket lovers of such a major event.Let us respect his demise and get on with the great game, and root out the evil that lies behind this dastardly deed.

william, Adelaide, Sth Australia

Absurd topic....World cup should not be stopped....may be the team who wins the cup (Australia !) should dedicate the trophy to woolmer

Hari, Mumbai, India

It most certainly should be cancelled. In fact, all international, professional sport should be cancelled and all sport returned to strict amateurism.
Professional sport is rife with corruption, ilicit betting, drug cheating, extortion and match rigging. Professional sport is a total disgrace and should be abandoned entirely.

Michael James, Bendigo, Australia (Victoria)

Lets get a proper perspective. Bob lived and breathed cricket and probably died because of it too. If he had died a natural death, it was imperative that the show should go on because that would have been honouring him. However, since he has been murdered, it only implies that he died because of all the wrong reasons - either the betting mafia or an irate fan. To continue now would be to accept those reasons as normal - it is not. Stop the world cup, investigate the deep malaise that has set it and correct it before continuing with this madness.

Prashant Gandhi, Woking, UK

Of course it should go ahead, Bob would have wanted that.
I am disgusted and appalled that anything like this could have happen in any sporting game let alone cricket!

Alan Roberts, Tewantin , Australian/Queensland

Without doubt the Tournament should now end today , this is horrific at any time but during a major sports World Cup it is magnified and Im afraid that Life and Humanity take precedent over Money becasue lets face it thats all the Super Eights is about .

Tom Hammond, Bournemouth ,

Yes, of course the World Cup should go ahead. Woolmer's murder is a horrible thing to have happened, but there's absolutely no logical reason at all to cancel the cricket.

Tom, London, UK

No way. There should be a minute's silence at the start of every game, and the whole world cup whould be in his memory, but I'm sure the man himself wouldn't have wanted it cancelled. Let's hope there's more fantastic games and a brilliant final to honour Bob by. RIP.

Michael, London, UK

It should be played in honour of Bob.

However, if it proved that a match-fixing scandal caused all this, then perhaps the ICC should take a stand to wipe it out and show they mean business by cancelling all cricket until the affair is concluded and those responsible put behind bars.

It makes a mockery of the sport as a whole. It also seems that match-fixing has been going on for years, it's about time a stop was put to it.

Richard, Hong Kong, Island

The tournament should be cancelled immediately. Who is going to be murdered next when a gambling gang loses a bet?

Nicholas, Wensley,

I am not really a cricket fan, but I am a sports lover. I remember reading Simon Barnes article on the meaning of sport and agreeing 100% that the beauty of sport is that it is meaningless. the ability to knock over pieces of wood with a ball or kick one between two other bits of wood is an act in itself, but entirely removed from the reality of war or famine or climate change or changes to basic rate of income tax. which for most of us, unlucky enough not to make our living from an entirely meaningless activity is far more important. It seems however that this line has been tragically abused, not just crossed but torn up and thrown away.

I dont suppose that cancelling the ICC World Cup would be for the good, it certainly wont bring Bob Woolmer back, but I think that all of sport should take stock of this. Sport and sportsmen / women are lucky to inhabit a bubble of self acheivement, but lets not forget thats what it is, a bubble and within it there activities should remain.

Neil Fraser, Kirkcaldy, Fife

I would like the world's major gambling companies to agree to suspend all betting on this World cup - returning all bets etc. Then, if the cricket continues, some symbolic moral high ground, will be recovered and the the gambling gang(s) that, probably, is/are behind this crime will be thwarted to some extent.

Chris Chalk, Ringwood, England

The ICC cannot be oblivious to the fact that massive corruption still exists in "their" game and on "their watch". Yet due to their incompetence, they have been unable to eradicate it. An innocent and lovely man is dead as a result yet they (the ICC) are still not willing to do the honourable thing and cancel the WC. Cricket is becoming more tarnished by the minute yet the show goes on.

Michael Engelbrecht, Cape Town, South Africa

Definitely. If the allegations hold water and prove Woolmer was murdered as part of a match fixing scandal how can the ICC, the entire tournament, including the eventual winners, not be tarnished? If the ICC choose not to take action, sponsors and the paying public should walk away now.

Alan, Oslo, Norway

Inspite of the great loss,WC must continue.Otherwise this henious act of murdering will continue and stop any major sporting event.

srinivas, hyderabad, india

The possible murder is shocking but the tournament should go ahead, mainly because of the considerable efforts made by the West Indians in their preparation for it. I feel for them.
On another tack I do not think much of limited over cricket at international, state and county level. It is commercial tosh. Many people do like it and I bow to the majority.

Wilf Bell, Camberley, England

yes, the whole thing has been overshadowed since the news of Bob Woolmer's death broke. internaitonal cricket should be but on hold until the whole question of corruption and Bob's death is fully resolved.

Nicholas Chappell, Marbella, Spain

Murder has nothing to do with sport. Who benefits by the cancelation? The actual results may be a footnote in years to come, but it is important that the games be played.

Larry Haac, Buckingham,

The cricket world cup should be stopped for 2 reasons. The first being the tragic murder of Bob Woolmer.The second being the scandalous participation of Zimbabwe in this tournament. In Zimbabwe, people are tortured,starved and oppressed by a 30 year long Mugabe dictatorship. South Africa was justly exiled from world sport for decades during apartheid. The same fate should be dealt to Zimbabwe as one of their only means for participating in world sport is cricket.
On Sunday not only Woolmer was murdered , but cricket too.The ICC should stop the tournament now while the world's attention is focused on cricket ,so as to make cricketers and especially those willing to kill for a game reflect on their actions...

out for a duck

Massimo Loi, Cagliari, Italy