‘Puzzling, you can’t play 100 overs after two-month wait’

For all you know it, it could have been a Twenty20 tournament and that doesn’t seem right,” Moody said. The final match was initially reduced to a 38-over-a-side affair, before another rain interruption saw Sri Lanka being set a revised target in 36 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system. Mahela Jayawardene’s side eventually lost the match by 53 runs.

Moody was just not ready to settle for anything less than full overs in the final. “You play for two months and prepare for two years and (not playing full 50 overs) it’s a puzzle.”

Despite the defeat, Moody is inclined to believe that his side was only “half a yard away” from winning the final. “Australia felt threatened at some time. Even heading into the finals, they were aware of what Sri Lanka were capable of,” reflected Moody on the day when his side lost the finals by 53 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system.

Moody believed his side, at one stage, was eyeing an upset win under the Duckworth-Lewis rule. “We ran them a close race. We were on target when the overs were reduced. We knew what we needed to be up under the rule. In order to up the scoring, we lost a couple of quick wickets, including Jayasuriya which was the key.”

The lanky Australian, however, didn’t throw much light on his future plans except that he needed to speak to his employers, the Sri Lankan board, first before deciding on his course of action. “For the time being, it’s on the backburner and it’s only professional if I speak to the Sri Lankan board first.”

Moody partially agreed that it became difficult for him to balance his international travelling schedule with his family life. “My make-up has been that your family is of equally high importance (as is career). It’s a case of how far you can adjust to give your best to both roles.”

Moody hasn’t been approached by any country yet.