Lanka get their man

Also, he added with trademark wit, being a left over ‘could mean the curry had gone off the boil and I enjoy a good curry’.

Known, for obvious reasons, among his peers as the ‘Big Fellah’, Moody was quizzed by an Interim Committee panel that contained 1996 World Cup captain Arjuna Ranatunga at Sri Lanka Cricket headquarters Wednesday. An Interim Committee official confirmed the announcement about eight hours after Moody (39) arrived in Colombo for the meeting.

It is uncertain when Moody, who has a contract with the English county club Worcestershire, will be able to take up the post. His Worcestershire contract ends in September, but he will need to take leave of absence to work with the Sri Lankan before for the West Indies tour starts in July and the triangular limited overs series that also involves India in August.

Better known as a limited-overs player than a Test cap, Moody fills the post left vacant by another Australian, John Dyson. He is the third Australian to become Sri Lanka’s coach in three years — Dyson took over from Dav Whatmore after CWC03 in South Africa following complaints the Sri Lankan-born Test all-rounder had run out of ideas.

Sri Lanka’s Interim Committee were desperate to sign on Chappell but ran into problems, among them a lengthy court case that delayed their own negotiations while saying they had stood back to allow India make their decision on who is to be their coach.

However, the triangular series in August promises to be interesting as it will feature three Australian coaches with Bennett King in charge of the West Indies and Chappell shepherding India.