Moody tells Sri Lanka to forget India defeat

CRICKET: Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody has told his team to forget all about their recent series defeat to India when the World Cup rivals clash in what will be a crucial Group B match on March 23.

Moody said the result of that one-day series, where India won the four-match contest 2-1, will have no bearing on their clash here.

"It is another game of cricket in the Caribbean. Playing India in India, as every cricketing person knows, is different from playing India outside India, so we are looking forward to playing them at a neutral venue," he said.

"We are in the Caribbean now. The conditions and the environment here are so different. This is what counts and not what had happened in India."

The India-Sri Lanka clash on March 23 is crucial as the winners will carry forward the two points into the Super Eights.

Moody, part of the Australian squad who won the last World Cup in 2003, also believes the non-Test playing nations will stretch some of the top sides in the World Cup. Six non-Test-playing countries are in the fray in the Caribbean with Bermuda and Ireland making their Cup debuts. Others are Scotland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Canada.

"There are pretty good teams out there. Bangladesh are a side that have beaten top teams, including us, in the past," said Moody.

"Scotland, Ireland and Kenya are decent sides, so I am sure every nation that considers itself in the top bracket will be very much on its toes when it plays these minnows."

Moody believes that versatility would be the key and teams having more options would have an advantage in the "open" World Cup. "There are a number of teams that can win it (Cup) and we feel we are one of them. It's up to us now to executive our plans as best as we can under pressure and make sure we don't make as many mistakes as the opposition," he said.

"I think depth and versatility will be the key. The teams having ability to throw the ball to a number of different options on the field and take advantage of different conditions have an advantage.

"A team that bats deep is going to have an advantage as well, but again there may be a completely different view in a week's time when we have seen some more cricket."

Trinidad Thursday, AFP