Sri Lanka board confident Moody will stay

Tom Moody's future as coach with Sri Lanka seems fairly secure following his withdrawal from the race to become Australia's next coach and the statement from David Morgan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman, to BBC Radio that Duncan Fletcher would remain as England coach.

Moody was mentioned as a potential replacement for Fletcher in the event of his resigning, the speculation being underlined by the fact that Moody's wife was English and his family stayed in England and not in Sri Lanka.

"To be quite honest, it was important to clear the air there on the Australian offer. I felt it was a distraction to me and a distraction for the team leading into the World Cup. It wasn't the right time for me to look at that position. As for the rest of the issues with regard to the ECB and any other opportunities that are out there I haven't looked at anything," said Moody.

"I've had conversations with Sri Lanka Cricket about my future here. At this stage we have agreed to look at it post World Cup, " he explained. "I really don't want any personal distraction or team distractions leading into the World Cup. I haven't mind set my course anywhere post World Cup. It's very much here and I am concentrating on that. When the time is right I will sit down and concentrate on what is the right thing for me in a post World Cup. That may well be a continued role on a contract here."

Moody's contract with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) runs till the end of May 2007. Reflecting on the two years he has been in charge as head coach Moody said: "It's been a fascinating coaching and life experience. I've really enjoyed working with the players, a terrific bunch of guys, very talented, good company and good people. We've made some significant progress as a team during that period. There are some exciting times ahead for Sri Lanka cricket.

"I've enjoyed the people. In general they have been very friendly - a trait recognised the world over - and I've enjoyed the culture. All my experiences here personally and with my family have been terrific. When I look back on these two years there have been a lot of fond memories."

SLC president Jayantha Dharmadasa expressed confidence that Moody would remain with Sri Lanka after the World Cup. "I am 99 percent certain that he will stay with us. We met recently and he said, 'let's get over the World Cup and we will talk about it'," said Dharmadasa. "There is mutual trust between SLC and Moody and the working relationship between the two is top class. He is part of our five-year plan to make Sri Lanka a top cricketing nation. That is why we made him head coach. The changes that are taking place in our cricket structure are part of his plans."