The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Moody to focus on 2007 World Cup

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Friday, May 27, 2005

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Moody to focus on 2007 World Cup

V.S. Sambandan

Tom Moody has set important goals for Sri Lanka. — Photo: AP

COLOMBO: Taking Sri Lanka to a consistent slot among the top-three Test playing nations and a successful World Cup 2007 are the targets that its new coach, Tom Moody, aspires to reach. The 39-year-old former Australian all-rounder — who was a member of two World Cup winning squads — saw `exciting times ahead' for him and the Sri Lankan cricket team, which he will coach till end-May 2007.

"The game is a simple game. It is important to do the simple things well," Moody told a press conference here on Thursday morning replying to a question if he would bring in current technologies used for coaching. "It is important to examine the basics of the game," he said.

The Australian is the fifth overseas player to be appointed national coach for Sri Lanka and fourth from Down Under. His predecessors include Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Dave Whatmore (two terms), Bruce Yardley and John Dyson (all Australians).

Moody said there was "good experience in the side" and his "main focus" would be the World Cup two years from now. "I am very excited to be given the opportunity to work in the sub-continent," said Moody. "I have many fond memories of touring here," he added. "There is terrific talent in the sub-continent and Sri Lanka is no exception," he said.

Moody said an important element of his assignment would be to `review the coaching situation.' Board officials declined to reveal the remuneration being paid to Moody, and restricted their comments to saying that it was an amount that the `board could afford' and was acceptable to its new coach.

Moody plans to return to Sri Lanka on June 18 to start his latest assignment.

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