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Settling in time for Moody
By Ranil Abeynaike
Its now 10 years since Sri Lanka became committed to a full time National Cricket Coach. Now there is also a permanent under 19 coach and an ‘A’ team coach. Tom Moody had entered and taken his position on the hot seat.
Moody becomes the fifth coach to take on the job during this period. Dav Whatmore set the ball rolling and had two terms. In his first term the rate of progress was immense. After the World Cup success in 1996 suddenly the wheels fell off. Clashes with some administrators and senior players saw Whatmore pack his bags and leave for a job as County Coach in England.
Bruce Yardley, Sri Lankan batting star Roy Dias and John Dyson has had a crack at the job. None of them departed with happy memories.
Four of the five coaches originated from Australia. It underlines the acceptance of the methods and the people of that country. Moody gets a head start there.

What follows will be what he makes of the job. Outside cricket all else will be alien to him. He will have to cope with and adjust to the people, the customs and the way of life. Not at all easy when you have had a western upbringing. This is where Whatmore had an advantage, being born and bred here for seven years, plus being somewhat a part of the Sri Lankan (or Ceylonese in those days) community in Melbourne, gave him a head start. Truthfully, he would love eating a rice and curry anytime!

The new coach’s immediate task would be to interact with the squad, the supporting staff, selectors and administrators. How he strengthens and maintains a working bond with them will be the key to success. Maybe there will be the nodding of heads, but sooner than later their opinions and views are bound to surface. Some of them could be confrontational. It was an obstacle all the other coaches encountered. How he clears or avoids these obstacles will certainly determine his future in the job.

The present national team packs heaps of experience. Where they have to “buck-up” immediately is: a) Playing consistently to their potential and b) Being far more potent and successful outside the sub-continent. Looking at the two a) is an immediate necessity, with a test series and a tri-nation one day series looming ahead. The other has about seven months time for preparation. That will be a tour of Australia and then New Zealand, all involving one day games. In terms of players there is a mix. A combination of old hands who have proved their mettle, followed by a satisfactory lot of intermediate players who have the capabilities, but not yet fully proven. Then comes following are the younger players who are knocking on the door to stake their claim and establish themselves.

Greg Chappel made this comment recently after himself taking on the job as the Indian Coach: “If anyone wants to replace Australia as the best team in the world, then they’re going to have to work as hard as the Australians do and be creative. Be as well prepared, plan well and then execute the plans and skills well. That means a commitment to doing the basics well and learning the lessons Australians have shown over the years.”

Tom Moody will well agree with that. Is his ambition, his goal, to replace Australia at the top? It will certainly take team Sri Lanka a lot of hard work, discipline, sacrifice and commitment.

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