Lanka will avoid verbal jousts, says Moody

MELBOURNE, Tuesday, Tom Moody, the Sri Lanka coach, says his side will not get involved in any verbal jousting with Australia and South Africa in the upcoming VB Series.

Sri Lanka arrived in Australia having completed a five-match series against New Zealand, and were training at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today ahead of a warm-up match against Victoria beginning tomorrow.

Moody said that the focus for Sri Lanka would be cricket, and not a game of words and insults against their opponents. He did add, however, that Australia and South Africa could be expected to trade verbal taunts.

"It's no surprise that the South Africans have come and met the Australians head-on," he said. "It's their nature, they play the game hard. It's no surprise that there was a little bit of verbal going into the series and during the series.

It's tough out there." Despite a 4-1 loss to New Zealand, Moody was confident of Sri Lanka's ability to perform against the top two teams in one-day cricket. "We're starting on the same level-playing field as them," he said. "We've got talented cricketers, we respect that Australia's got those as well, but why can't we win?"

The VB Series kicks off at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium on Friday with Sri Lanka playing Australia.

(Cricinfo)