Woolmer died of natural causes

Kingston, Jamaica:

A South African pathologist became the third doctor to publicly criticize the autopsy of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer, whose death during last spring's World Cup prompted an international investigation.

Dr Lorna J Martin said on Tuesday, a Jamaican government doctor made a mistake when he concluded the coach was strangled in his hotel room.

Martin, testifying at an inquest to determine what caused Woolmer's death, said the 58-year-old coach died of natural causes, most likely heart disease.

"Given the deceased's history, the most obvious cause of death would be cardiac related," she said, echoing the earlier testimony of pathologists from Canada and Britain.

Woolmer, a former player and South African native, was found March 18 in his downtown Kingston hotel room March 18, a day after a loss to Ireland ousted Pakistan from the World Cup.

Four days after his death, Jamaican police announced Woolmer had been strangled based on an autopsy by Dr Ere Sheshiah, an Indian doctor working for the Jamaican government.

Nearly three months later, authorities closed the homicide investigation after Martin and pathologists Dr Michael Pollanen of Canada and Dr Nathaniel Cary of Britain reviewed the autopsy report and X-rays and concluded Woolmer died of natural causes.

Martin testified that she viewed a video of the autopsy. She said Sheshiah's techniques did not meet international standards and he "misinterpreted" his findings.

The inquest to determine the cause of death is expected to end November 9 after about 50 witnesses appear before the 11-member jury. Testimony resumes on Wednesday.