Moody Tips Sri Lanka For Success

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Tom Moody - hopeful of Sri Lanka's future

By David Clough, PA Sport, Bridgetown

Tom Moody is confident Sri Lanka have the ability to win the next World Cup - with or without him as coach.

Australian Moody has yet to decide whether his future lies with a continuation of his two-year stint with Sri Lanka or elsewhere.

The 41-year-old, whose team gave Australia a minor fright before bad weather conspired against them in Saturday's Cup final at Kensington Oval, was linked with England's vacancy - before Peter Moores was chosen recently as Duncan Fletcher's successor.

He has also been regarded by many as a likely candidate to return to coach Western Australia, for whom he was once a key all-rounder.

But as he reflected on Sri Lanka's near miss, he made it clear he sees the potential among his current charges to go one better in four years' time.

"We were only a half-a-yard away from winning a World Cup, very close certainly," he said.

"I think this team is more than capable of winning the World Cup next time round in 2011."

Moody believes astute channelling of a native talent is the key to making sure Sri Lanka's cricketers achieve their full capabilities.

"Something that Sri Lanka has that helps enormously is talent; it's just creating a pathway for that talent to flourish," he said.

"That's what I've tried to do over the past two years."

Moody reports he will not commit himself to staying with Sri Lanka - or indeed leaving - until he has had the time he believes is necessary to make the right decision.

"I haven't given a huge amount of consideration about my future until I sit down with the board," he said.

"But there is plenty of meat on the bone with regard to Sri Lanka's development.

"Whether it be me, or whoever it may be, he will have some exciting things to work with."

One of the key challenges for Sri Lanka, along with many others, will be to knock Australia from the perch to which they have become accustomed on their way to an unprecedented three successive titles.

It is far from a forlorn hope, though, according to Moody - a dual World Cup winner in his playing days.

"We are aware - and I think the cricketing world is aware - that Australia are an exceptionally professional and efficient outfit," he acknowledges.

"They showed exactly how skilful and professional they are throughout this World Cup.

"But we felt as a team we ran a close race with them in the final.

"We were on target in the reduced game until we lost a couple of critical wickets when we thought we had to get closer to Duckworth-Lewis.

"If that wasn't the case it might have been a completely different story, because we felt we were on track - with wickets in hand and quality batsmen established."

As for the future, Moody counsels a readiness for the long haul.

"It's not going to happen overnight," he points out.

"The next World Cup is in four years' time, and if we continue our upward curve of the last two there is no reason why Sri Lanka cannot compete on a regular basis with Australia.

"There's more to it than just 11 players on the park; it is the development of the game in Sri Lanka, the infrastructure, the facilities.

"But all those things are being addressed and will continue to be addressed.

"There is no quick fix, but we have four years to try to catch up."

Sri Lanka were notably closer to Australia this time round than any other team - on the back of runs made by captain Mahela Jayawardene and the wickets of master off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and, perhaps more significantly for the future, young fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

Moody relates much graft, over many months, went into challenging Australia - and he believes Sri Lanka have much to be proud of, and much still to which to aspire.

"It's no coincidence to me that we had the success we have had in this World Cup, because it was planned - and a lot of hard work went into it," he said.

"Sri Lanka can be very proud. They have had an excellent World Cup, and to find themselves in the final against the best team in the world is a great achievement.

"I think even Australia felt threatened at some point during the match when we were chasing down that total - and even leading into the game they were very aware of what Sri Lanka are capable of."