Moody set for new deal with Worcestershire

Tom Moody, Worcestershire's director of cricket, is to sign a 12-month extension to his current contract, keeping him at the club until the end of 2005. Moody spent eight seasons there as a player, and since becoming director of cricket in 2000, Worcestershire have thrived under his leadership.

They are currently top of Division Two of the Frizzell County Championship and made it to the final of the C&G Trophy final at Lord's, where they were beaten by Gloucestershire. Moody has a year left of his current contract and has been in talks with John Elliott, the chairman, about his future, which will be confirmed by the county committee next week.

Elliott said: "Tom Moody will stay here all the time he wants to be coach in county cricket. When he came here he said give me three years and I will produce a side that is capable of winning things.

"He is now in his third season and we are 99% certain to gain promotion in the County Championship and we also reached the final of the C&G Trophy. Things are going the right way. It is what Tom anticipated and it is what I hoped for this year and things are going well."