Romeo
1 May 2007, 20:23
Perhaps he didn't want to take on coaching us because it will be harder to maintain the excellence of a team at the top of the tree than rebuild one or get one to match us.
Moody: Oz Have Work Cut Out
April 30 2007
http://images.teamtalk.com/07/04/247/McGrathNEW_219533.jpg McGrath - retired on a high.
Tom Moody senses his Australian countrymen may have to work a little harder for their successes following the retirements of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
After Moody's Sri Lanka had finished runners-up to the Aussies in Saturday's World Cup final at Kensington Oval, he predicted a tougher time for the champions as they bid to stay on top in both forms of the game.
Australia were set to be significantly pushed for the first time in their Caribbean campaign only for rain to force Sri Lanka's hand and result in an untimely loss of wickets as they played catch-up with Duckworth-Lewis calculations.
It was an unfortunate way for the tournament to be decided.
Moody, however, was happy to give Australia due credit - before warning the end of the Warne-McGrath era will hit them hard, particularly in Test cricket.
Master leg-spinner Warne retired from international cricket earlier this year, while pace bowler McGrath made the World Cup final his swansong and finished his career as by far the competition's most prolific wicket-taker.
"It's going to be an interesting period for Australia," said Moody.
"Glenn is obviously one of the greatest bowlers of all time, and I think Australia will see the real impact in Test cricket more than one-day cricket in the absence of both Glenn and Shane.
"You're talking a huge amount of experience, class and quality taken away from their Test attack."
Moody expects Australia to have the resources to regroup - but does not anticipate it will be easy for them.
"Australia, I think, will continue to win and be successful," he said.
"But they may have to work a bit harder for their wins than they have in the past.
"The strike rate of both those bowlers taken away from an attack is going to hurt any team."
The emergence of the likes of fast bowler Shaun Tait and new-ball partner Nathan Bracken - with Mitchell Johnson waiting for his chance too - provides clues that the cupboard is hardly bare for Australia.
"They seem to have some depth there," Moody noted.
"There were a lot of question marks going into this World Cup about Brett Lee being injured - and then Shaun Tait steps up to the plate.
"It's amazing what happens when one door closes and another opens - you don't know who is going to walk through and how they will take to the next level.
"Tait has done a terrific job as a strike bowler and is one of the reasons Australia dominated through this World Cup."
Moody insists Australia are not the only team with plenty of talent to hone for the years to come.
Sri Lanka, with whom he may or may not remain as coach, have much potential.
"Sri Lanka does have depth of talent, but what that talent needs is perseverance," Moody advised.
"It's not going to happen overnight. Previously, we have maybe been at fault, as every cricket team has been at times, for looking for instant results - and losing patience with talented players."
Moody, a two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder in his playing days with Australia, cites a prime example of the need for patience, middle-order batsman Chamara Silva.
"We have a perfect example in our side - Chamara Silva," Moody said.
"Thankfully, we set eyes on him about six months ago in a practice match. Before that point, I hadn't seen him play - and he'd already played for Sri Lanka four years earlier.
"He's a special talent and he will continue to go a long way in the game; thankfully he still has quite a few years left in him as a guy who is only in his mid-20s."
Moody: Oz Have Work Cut Out
April 30 2007
http://images.teamtalk.com/07/04/247/McGrathNEW_219533.jpg McGrath - retired on a high.
Tom Moody senses his Australian countrymen may have to work a little harder for their successes following the retirements of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
After Moody's Sri Lanka had finished runners-up to the Aussies in Saturday's World Cup final at Kensington Oval, he predicted a tougher time for the champions as they bid to stay on top in both forms of the game.
Australia were set to be significantly pushed for the first time in their Caribbean campaign only for rain to force Sri Lanka's hand and result in an untimely loss of wickets as they played catch-up with Duckworth-Lewis calculations.
It was an unfortunate way for the tournament to be decided.
Moody, however, was happy to give Australia due credit - before warning the end of the Warne-McGrath era will hit them hard, particularly in Test cricket.
Master leg-spinner Warne retired from international cricket earlier this year, while pace bowler McGrath made the World Cup final his swansong and finished his career as by far the competition's most prolific wicket-taker.
"It's going to be an interesting period for Australia," said Moody.
"Glenn is obviously one of the greatest bowlers of all time, and I think Australia will see the real impact in Test cricket more than one-day cricket in the absence of both Glenn and Shane.
"You're talking a huge amount of experience, class and quality taken away from their Test attack."
Moody expects Australia to have the resources to regroup - but does not anticipate it will be easy for them.
"Australia, I think, will continue to win and be successful," he said.
"But they may have to work a bit harder for their wins than they have in the past.
"The strike rate of both those bowlers taken away from an attack is going to hurt any team."
The emergence of the likes of fast bowler Shaun Tait and new-ball partner Nathan Bracken - with Mitchell Johnson waiting for his chance too - provides clues that the cupboard is hardly bare for Australia.
"They seem to have some depth there," Moody noted.
"There were a lot of question marks going into this World Cup about Brett Lee being injured - and then Shaun Tait steps up to the plate.
"It's amazing what happens when one door closes and another opens - you don't know who is going to walk through and how they will take to the next level.
"Tait has done a terrific job as a strike bowler and is one of the reasons Australia dominated through this World Cup."
Moody insists Australia are not the only team with plenty of talent to hone for the years to come.
Sri Lanka, with whom he may or may not remain as coach, have much potential.
"Sri Lanka does have depth of talent, but what that talent needs is perseverance," Moody advised.
"It's not going to happen overnight. Previously, we have maybe been at fault, as every cricket team has been at times, for looking for instant results - and losing patience with talented players."
Moody, a two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder in his playing days with Australia, cites a prime example of the need for patience, middle-order batsman Chamara Silva.
"We have a perfect example in our side - Chamara Silva," Moody said.
"Thankfully, we set eyes on him about six months ago in a practice match. Before that point, I hadn't seen him play - and he'd already played for Sri Lanka four years earlier.
"He's a special talent and he will continue to go a long way in the game; thankfully he still has quite a few years left in him as a guy who is only in his mid-20s."