- Title: SRI LANKA: CRICKET - Tom Moody will quit Sri Lanka to coach Western Australia
- Date: 16th May 2007
- Summary: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (MAY 15, 2007 (REUTERS) TOM MOODY TALKING TO SRI LANKAN CRICKET CAPTAIN MAHELA JAYAWARDENE'S WIFE
- Embargoed: 31st May 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Sri Lanka
- City:
- Country: Sri Lanka
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVACF2L9PH2EMNNX9A9ZMFS2MTWW
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- Story Text: Sri Lanka cricketers left for Abu Dhabi to play a three match one day series against Pakistan with Tom Moody as coach for the last time. Former Australian test batsman Tom Moody has accepted a deal to coach Western Australia after rejecting an offer to remain in charge of Sri Lanka.
Moody coached Sri Lanka to the final of this year's World Cup but turned down an offer of a renewed contract to return home for family reasons.
On Tuesday (May 15) Moody and his squad flew to Abu Dhabi for the coach's last matches in charge of the national team, three one-day matches against Pakistan.
"I had to look at the whole professional and personal side of things and at this stage of my life I needed to commit more time to the family. Obviously it was a very tough decision to take. At the end of the day the family come first and I'll be spending a lot more time with them in the next few years.
"I played many years for Western Australia and there's many challenges there as a coach and manager and I'm very excited about the opportunities there but I'll obviously be keeping a close watch on Sri Lanka's progress," he said.
Moody had indicated before the World Cup that he was planning to leave Sri Lanka when his contract ended at the tournament but Sri Lanka Cricket officials had wanted him stay.
Team captain Mahela Jayawardene paid tribute to the departing coach.
"I'm sure if anyonme else had been in his shoes they would have taken the same decision and we respect that and wish him all the very best in his future. We have one more tournament with him and I'm sure we'd like to give him a very proper farewell because he has put in a lot of effort and he deserves the best."
The SLC said assistant coach Trevor Penney, who has a contract until August, would lead the team during their upcoming Bangladesh tour while they searched for a new coach.
Penney has already accepted a deal with Western Australia to continue as Moody's assistant when his contract with Sri Lanka expires.
Moody also played 145 first-class matches for Western Australia and won the national interstate championship, formerly known as the Sheffield Shield, five times.
He went on to play eight tests and 76 one-day internationals for Australia and was a member of the 1987 and 1999 squads that won the World Cup before turning his hand to coaching.
Moody, 41, began his coaching career with Worcestershire in England before taking over as head coach of Sri Lanka two years ago and is regarded as one the shrewd and clever coach.
Jayawardene and Moody were named on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) newly constituted cricket committee on Tuesday.
Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel, former Australia captain Mark Taylor and ex-West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding are also part of the 13-member committee, which will be headed by former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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