Sussex Coach is W.I Coaching Candidate

Thu, Oct 7, '04

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is considering appointing the Sussex director of cricket Peter Moores as their first overseas coach, the Guardian newspaper in the U.K reported.

The paper said Moores, 41, who took Sussex to the first County Championship in their history in the summer of 2003, has emerged as a surprise rival to the former Australia captain Greg Chappell, who is widely considered the frontrunner for the job.

Moores and Chappell were both interviewed in London during the ICC Champions Trophy last month by a WICB interview panel that included CEO Roger Brathwaite and David Holford.

Moores led Sussex to the County championship last year and has a solid reputation as one of the most highly regarded coaches in the county game. A former wicketkeeper, he took over at Sussex in 1998 after captaining the team the previous summer, and was appointed coach of the England A side that toured West Indies in 2000-01.

Chappell has publicly confirmed his candidacy and, in a post on his ChappellWay.com Web site, he said he was waiting for word from the WICB.

"Lets wait and see whether I get the coaching job but whatever happens I think the West Indies are in for a more positive and successful period. The signs that were evident in the UK recently suggest to me that a shift has taken place with, and within, that team that will make them more competitive, Chappell said in the 'Discussion Room' section of the Web site.

"I hope so because cricket needs the West Indies to be strong," he added.