Moody to return to New Road as director of cricket, but probably not as a player

Tom Moody is to return to Worcester as director of cricket. Moody moved to Worcester in 1991, and became the club captain in late 1995. The position is said to widen the role previously held by Bill Athey. He had been linked to a similar job at Middlesex, but will take up his three-year position at New Road in March of 2001.

"I enjoyed my playing days with the county and I am very excited to be able to play a part in taking the club forward again," Moody explained. "There is a great advantage in knowing the dressing-room set-up and knowing many of the players and understanding their individual needs."

With Moody still playing for Western Australia, and Andy Bichel, Worcester's choice of overseas player for next season, possibly unavailable due to Test commitments, it is conceivable that Moody may yet have a playing role too.

That is an option that Worcestershire cricket committee chairman Martin Horton has admitted he would not be in favour of. Horton, who enjoyed a successful playing career for Worcestershire, winning the championship twice in the 1960s, confessed: "It is certainly a big problem for us with Adam Bichel being picked for the current Australian side. There then is the chance he could be part of the tour party to come to England next summer.

"There might be one or two others on our committee that might try and persuade me that for one year it might be worthwhile having Tom Moody as a player-coach if that happens. But my view is that Tom should concentrate on his new coaching role. I also don't know whether he would be able to stand up now to a full season of county cricket. Hopefully Adam will be available in any case, but we have got one or two players in mind if that is not the case."