Detectivesinvestigating the murder of Bob Woolmer are studying the possibility thatpoison was used to incapacitate Pakistan'scricket coach before he was strangled.

MarkShields, Jamaicapolice deputy commissioner, said on Monday that they were exploring whether thelarge-built Woolmer was drugged before being murdered in his hotel room.

"Ihave said from the beginning that if he was manually strangled, there arecertain aspects that don't quite add up," Shields said.

"Thereis a possibility that something was used to incapacitate Bob that could haveenabled somebody to go into his room and kill him quietly.

"ButI emphasise once more that we are we are keeping all lines of enquiryopen."

'Cyanide-likepoison'

Shields'scomments followed a report in Britain'sSunday Mirror newspaper that police had received a tip that a cyanide-likepoison, aconite, had been used to kill Woolmer, who was found dead at thePegasus Hotel on March 18 in Kingston.

Aconitecauses internal organ failure and forces the victim's breath to slow until itstops.

Death isusually caused by asphyxiation within 30 minutes, the report said.

Shieldswould not directly comment on the report, but acknowledged police had receivedinformation about a possible substance used to knock-out Woolmer.

'Pointlessto speculate'

"Inthe course of our enquiries we have received information about possible poisonsthat may have been used," he said.

"Butuntil we receive the toxicology reports it is pointless to speculate on whatthat substance might be."

Woolmer'swidow said she was not aware of any claim that her husband had been poisoned.

"Ihaven't heard anything," Gill Woolmer said from her home in Pinelands in Cape Town, South Africa.

"EverythingI know comes from Mark Shields, who said he would keep me informed of any newdevelopments."

Thefact that detectives are still awaiting toxicology reports on Woolmer over twoweeks after his death has led to questions over whether Jamaica'scriminal justice system is capable of handling such a complex murder inquiry.

Fourpolice officers from Britain'sScotland Yard are due to arrive in Kingstonon Tuesday to review the course of the investigation.

Shieldshowever insisted that the arrival of the officers should not be interpreted asan indicator that the local investigation was floundering.

"Thisis an entirely standard procedure in any major investigation," Shieldssaid.

"Onceyou get past the first seven to 14 days of the inquiry it is normal to retraceyour steps and make sure nothing has been overlooked."

Complexinvestigation

Detectiveswere continuing to treat the investigation as murder, Shields said, followingpress reports in Britaincasting doubt on the pathologists' findings which said Woolmer had been"manually strangled".

Woolmer'smurder has led to speculation about a possible link to match-fixing in cricket,although detectives have so far said they have uncovered no evidence ofcorruption.

TheWoolmer's death is the subject of the biggest and most complex murderinvestigation in Jamaica'shistory, with police revealing they are trying to trace up to 1,000 people aspossible witnesses.

In Lahore on Sunday, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan's captain leda group of seven players among 400 mourners at the 100-year-old Sacred Heart Church,while officials lit candles and laid wreaths at a portrait of Woolmer.