'Family man' Tom Moody refuse to commit

Bridgetown, Barbados, Apr 30 (UNI) Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody has dismissed growing speculation of his immediate stepping down and leaving the team a day after his team went down to defending champions Australia by 53 runs in the rain-reduced World Cup final at the Kensington Oval here.

With several teams on the lookout for a new coach, including India, there has been plenty of talk about Moody's future.

The 41-year-old said he was open to an offer provided he could manage to balance his professional and personal life.

''I've got some high values as a family man and that is very important to me as much as I am passionate about what I do,'' he said.

''I'm not making any decision on my future until I've a chance to go back to Colombo and speak to the Sri Lankan cricket board,'' he said, adding ''There's no hurry.'' He, however, admitted that as Sri Lanka's newly-appointed coach, he had to change his approach and methods. ''There are things I have had to do differently with the guys. They are not necessarily the sort of things I would do if I was, say, coaching in England or Australia.'' Moody felt Mahela Jayawardene's side had the potential to build on their World Cup performance but refused to give any indication whether he would stay on to oversee that progress.

''A lot depends on how the administration goes now. If they invest properly in infrastructure and facilities, the game is bound to grow and in the right direction,'' the former Aussie cricketer said.

The coach was all praise for his players' talent and commitment.

''Australia showed exactly how skillful and professional they were throughout this World Cup. Yesterday was no exception.

''But we were half a yard away from winning the World Cup, we were very close.

''This team is more than capable of winning the World Cup the next time around in 2011. If they continue that upward curve and continue that professionalism that we are adopting as a group and as a cricketing nation there is no reason why Sri Lanka can't compete on a regular basis with the likes of Australia,''Moody said.

He indirectly took a dig at the ICC, saying that the World Cup finals, at the very least, needed to be played over the full 50 overs a side and that the people running the sport needed to consider taking the match into the rain reserve day.

UNI