Tom Moody Defends The New Grading System Implemented For Sri Lankan Cricketers

Sri Lanka cricketers’ threatening to quit international cricket prematurely has prompted the director of its cricket Tom Moody to explain the move behind introducing a new contract system. Sri Lanka cricket board’s decision of implementing a new grading system to determine their annual paychecks may provoke the national players to retire earlier than expected. Nevertheless, Tom Moody conceded that such a plan has been put in place after plenty of work and thorough research, highlighting its benefits.

The revised system has modest base salaries and more performance-based incentives. The list of centrally-contracted players has also come down to 24 from 32. According to the same, players would be categorized into four different groups based on the levels of fitness, discipline, leadership performances in international and domestic cricket within the last two years. The cricketers wish to understand how the board allocate the points and know the areas to improve for them.

Tom Moody underlined that they have put in a lot of work on how other cricketing boards worldwide go about their business and that plenty of information had been injected to design Sri Lanka’s contract system for this year moving forward. The former Australian all-rounder asserted they are attempting a transparent and consistent process as the selectors and head coach have all the requisite information, with all the players set to undergo a fair test. Moody stated that it has not come out of nowhere, but looking at other countries’ systems and they believe it’s an appropriate and effective strategy for Sri Lanka.

“There was a lot of work done in exploring, on how other cricket boards around the world go through this process and a lot of information was brought into what we come up with which is in Sri Lanka’s contract system for this year moving forward. We are trying to do a very transparent and consistent process – the three selectors and head coach have got all the information and it’s a thorough and a fair system for all the players, not only the senior players but all who are going to represent Sri Lanka in the year. This was not made out of thin air but by thorough research, looking at other countries and their examples of how they contract their players. We’ve put together what we thought was the best, most effective and fair system for Sri Lanka,” Moody said as quoted by dailynews.lk.

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The contract gives them some security for the future: Tom Moody

Tom Moody also highlighted that the player contract should not dictate whether Sri Lanka cricketers decide to play or retire. Instead, the 55-year old believes that their passion for cricket should drive them, conceding that these contracts secure their future, but comes with plenty of responsibility to deliver compelling performances.

“I think this player contract shouldn’t be the reason for the player to be playing cricket, I am sure it is for the passion they have. The contract gives them some security for the future. At the same time there is a lot of responsibility on them to perform and represent our country. That part has to be achieved through the process, which is what our main interest is,” the South Australian added.

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