Sri Lanka's new coach Tom Moody has arrived on the island for the start of a two-year contract leading up to the 2007 World Cup.
Moody, 39, touched down in Sri Lanka on Saturday evening and will now start preparations for the country's forthcoming Test series against the West Indies.
"I am really thrilled to be here now and I'm looking forward to the challenge of coaching a very talented team," Moody told reporters after his arrival.
Moody will meet captain Marvan Atapattu and cricket officials during the week and prepare for a four-day training camp with the national squad that is due to start on July 1.
"I first need to speak to the captain, the players and then formulate my plans for the future," said Moody.
"It is important for me to familiarise myself with the A team players as well as the test side."
Sri Lanka's other senior players - Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Chandana and Chaminda Vaas - are due back on the island shortly from overseas commitments.
Moody will have an opportunity to assess Sri Lanka's A team players during a series against an experienced West Indies A side that starts later this month.
The A team series will be followed by a two-test series against West Indies' senior team that is tentatively scheduled to start on July 14 or 15 in Colombo.
One of Moody's first tasks will be to appoint a senior team fitness trainer. Moody has also indicated a desire for the team to have a fulltime assistant coach.
Upon his appointment as coach, he claimed that his two main objectives would be winning the 2007 World Cup and improving Sri Lanka's record overseas.
"Sri Lanka is full of talent and we are well-poised in the one-day rankings at present," said Moody.
"But it is the build-up to the 2007 World Cup that is important and we need to build a side that has a genuine chance of winning that tournament.
"We also need to focus on improving our form overseas.
"We have some difficult overseas tours coming up over the next two years and that is going to be a real challenge."
Sri Lanka's cricket board have asked Moody to also help reform the entire coaching and development system in the island.
Moody, a seam bowling all rounder, played 76 one-day internationals and eight test matches for Australia before becoming a professional coach.
The 39-year-old takes over from fellow Australian John Dyson who completed a 21-month contract in April but was not offered a fresh contract.
