Former England Coach Peter Moores visited the National Cricket Academy, Lahore at the invitation of the PCB to offer his advice on potential improvements in the academy's structure. Moores spoke to the press upon the conclusion of his fact-finding trip.

PakPassion Staff, (November 15, 2012)

Intikhab Alam and former England head coach Peter Moores spoke to the press at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Moores, who has previously been head of the ECB academy in England, was visiting the NCA to provide consultancy and advice on improvements to the systems and processes at the site. 

Intikhab Alam introduces Peter Moores 

“I’d like to thank Peter for coming here [NCA] this evening. It’s a great pleasure for me. Our friend from England, Peter Moores, has been with Lancashire County Cricket Club for the last four years as their Head Coach and during his tenure Lancashire have won the County Championship, so he has done extremely well for Lancashire.”

“Before that, between 2007 and 2009, Peter was the head coach of the England team for two years and before that for the two years 2005 to 2007 was the director of the National Cricket Academy in England.”

“Peter has come to Pakistan at the invitation of the PCB to give his expert opinion because when he was the director of the NCA in England, he chalked up a very comprehensive programme. Since then, the academy is doing extremely well. That’s why he’s here - we invited him to give his expert opinion on what we can do to enhance the performance of the NCA [Lahore] or if he can see whether there are any grey areas in which we can improve.”

“Yesterday we had a meeting at the NCA chaired by the Chairman of the PCB Zaka Ashraf. Those who attended the meeting included Subhan Ahmed the Chief Operating Officer, Javed Miandad the PCB Director General, Inzamam-ul-Haq, the three coaches Dav Whatmore, Mohammad Akram and Julien Fountain, Amir Sohail was there and Waqar Younis. We had a very useful discussion. What we were asking Peter is - he’s due to return to England tonight – in 10 days time to prepare a comprehensive report and for him to come back and have another meeting.”


Peter Moores speaks to the Press

Moores on his aims for the trip to Pakistan: Intikhab asked me to come here and have a look. It’s been interesting. One for the meeting, but also to get the views of people like Javed, Intikhab and other great players around where things are at the moment. From my point of view, I’ve come to listen and learn and find out what happens here. We know Pakistan have produced some great players. If I can help in any way to move things forward that would be the goal

Moores on his discussion held with representatives of the PCB: The first thing for me to do is listen and find out because it would be wrong to think you can walk in and suddenly give a view without listening to what people are saying. What I have found is that there is already a lot of expertise in Pakistan, a lot of expertise around here. I had a great chat with Javed [there is] lots of information already here. The key is for me to listen to that and know that if there is anything I can add, which is probably more structural than cricket knowledge I would think. 

Moors on a potential future role at the NCA Lahore: I have a job at the moment already – I coach at Lancashire. For me to come over here, I can give a view because I’m not part of the system. I can give you an opinion of what I think, whether that’s right or not nobody knows. The key for me is to get things working correctly for everybody - there’s a lot of hard work involved, a lot of people involved, to do that. One thing I can tell you is that there is a huge amount of passion in this room, but also from the meeting yesterday you can tell there is a great desire to move Pakistan forward.

Moores on whether he would consider a part-time role at the NCA: Possibly, that to me the first thing to do was to come over, meet some people and have a look, to see if there was something I can offer to help. The fact that the meeting yesterday took place said something within the desire of the board to move things forward. The fact that you’re prepared to ask people to come along and talk to you and give other opinions means you’re trying to improve and get better which is a good thing for Pakistan cricket. 

Moores on his views on the systems at the NCA, Lahore: I was taken though yesterday some of the structure of some of the programmes that happen at the National Cricket Academy. The systems don’t look particularly different [to the NCA in England]. The systems are one thing, [but] it’s what happens within systems is the most important – the people that work in them and what comes out of them is very important. For me at the moment it’s a chance. I need some time to look and find out exactly what’s going on and then like most things, you start to evolve a way forward. I wouldn’t ever say I have the answers – the answers come from the people here. If I can ask some questions from outside which might help to get to those answers that would be great. 

Moores on playing a role in the improvement of Pakistani cricket: The first thing was to come over and have a look. I’ve got a job coaching Lancashire which is my main post. The advantage sometimes you have coming over as a neutral is you can come over and give an opinion and you can have a fresh pair of eyes to look at things. I think at the moment that’s all there is. If things move forward because I can offer something, that would be something for the future. 

Moors on Pakistani domestic structure: The domestic structure is interesting to look at. A lot of people have got opinions on that. The one goal everybody wants – every country wants strong domestic cricket because from strong domestic cricket you’ll produce players that can go on to play well. How that happens, that’s part of the goal for everybody. I think it’s a strong message that people want strong domestic cricket in Pakistan.

Moors on coaching internationally: I loved my time coaching England. Coaching international cricket is great. I’m loving my time at Lancashire as well. At the moment, with where my family is and my children are growing up, it’s fitting really well but if I coach internationally again I don’t know that something for the future. At the moment I’m happy where I am working hard at Lancashire and enjoying it. Thank you.

Discuss!