TOM Moody will pull down the curtain on his illustrious New Road career at the end of the season convinced that Worcestershire are heading for an "exciting period".

The 33-year-old skipper firmly believes the County have the right ingredients to re-capture the glory days, particularly if the signing of fellow Australian Glenn McGrath goes through as planned.

Moody, who has been with Worcestershire since 1991 and took over the captaincy from Tim Curtis during the 1995 campaign, said: "We had some success in the early 1990s and really over the last four or five years we've been going through a bit of as re-building situation.

"We have tried to get a lot of young guys through and developed and the future for the club looks in reasonably good shape because there are some very good youngsters coming through the system now.

"It always makes it reasonably hard being located where we are because our catchment area is nothing on what a lot of other clubs have, so we probably have to work that little bit harder in that department. But I think we have got some reasonably good stuff coming through now.

"I will be leaving the club in an exiting period. A strong position is a side which is winning everything. We aren't doing that, but we are certainly at a stage where the future looks quite promising which is an exciting period.

"I'm sure that Graeme Hick will probably take over the captaincy and whoever takes over the overseas role will, I'm sure, relish the challenge that the club has ahead."

Since the recent announcement that this is his last season at New Road, Moody, who will be 34 in October, has started to reflect on his free-scoring career with the County.

"Being with Worcestershire is something I've enjoyed very much. We've had quite a few ups during my time here, but the highlight for me probably has to be the 1994 NatWest Trophy final at Lord's when we beat Warwickshire."

Worcestershire, who had never won the Trophy before or since, overcame the 'Old Enemy' by eight wickets.

Triumphant Moody, a former Warwickshire player, was named man-of-the-match after hitting 88 not out in an unbroken stand worth 198 with Hick who made 93 not out.

"Warwickshire were having their purple patch at the time and we managed to nip in and take the NatWest off them which is one of the most prestigious one-day competitions. That would have to be one of the highlights for sure."

Earlier that season Moody had been in Worcestershire's team which lost by six wickets against arch rivals Warwickshire in the final of the Benson and Hedges Cup at Lord's.

Moody, however, admits that being a member of the Australian side which won the World Cup last month was the "icing on the cake" in his career.

"The celebrations were terrific. It all seemed to go pretty quickly, but it was very good. The guys worked particularly hard throughout the whole of the World Cup series and to come out winners in something that's pretty hard to explain really."

Model professional Moody, however, had his feet firmly back on the ground when he made his first appearance of the season for the County after scaling such dizzy heights with Australia.

He entered the fray in the County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road when Worcestershire were in desperate trouble at 2-4 in their first innings.

He hit an undefeated 63 and after the County were 47-4 in their second innings notched another 63 to help his never-say-die side register a remarkable 112-run victory.

Moody, a match winner on countless during his high scoring career with Worcestershire, says he'll have mixed emotions when the time comes for him to make his New Road farewell.

"I've enjoyed every bit of it here. I've enjoyed the people and I've enjoyed the cricket, but I've always felt there is no point pushing it to the stage where you fall flat and I didn't want to fall flat as a player physically and mentally.

"I feel I shall be going out at the right time. It's time for someone else to come in whether it be a different style of player which I'm sure the club are looking at. It's time for younger legs to move in and help pick up where it's all been left off."

Later this season Moody will be miss a clutch of matches for Worcestershire having been included in the Aussies one-day squad to start a tri-nations tournament in Sri Lanka on August 22. In October he faces another three one-dayers in Zimbabwe.

Monday, July 19, 1999.