Moores focused on Lancashire job

Peter Moores is ready to guide Lancashire in search of the championship title

Peter Moores is determined to “move on” with Lancashire and bring some silverware to the club - after helping Sussex to their maiden County Championship title in 2003.

His coaching talents were recognised by the ECB and he moved on to the national academy from where he was appointed as England coach in a logical progression.

Yet he was born in Macclesfield and had trials at Old Trafford - before a playing career with Worcestershire and more notably Sussex - so in that sense, his new role with Lancashire sees him “coming home”.

Having delivered Sussex’s first championship - of three so far - after more than a century of disappointment at Hove, Moores notes it is a mere 75 years since the Red Rose topped the pile outright.

The challenge to put that right excites him - and he is confident he has the appropriate people on staff to help him deliver.

“They have come so close so many times, especially over the last 10 years - so they must be doing lots of things right,” he reasons.

“I want to make sure this is still very much Lancashire County Cricket Club - but maybe we tweak the little things that might be needed just to go that next little bit.”

He has been appointed as the lynchpin of a structure which sees former coach Mike Watkinson “supporting” him as director of cricket and all-rounder Glen Chapple moving up from the ranks to take over as captain.

Chief executive Jim Cumbes has no doubt Moores is the answer for his club.

“With the quality of the people who applied for the job, we knew then that whoever got it was going to be a top man,” he said.

“I’m telling no tales out of school when I say that Pete was head and shoulders above anybody, in a very tough school.

“I knew - and I think everybody else knew around the table - he was the guy for the job.”

Moores’ mantra of hard work and positive mind worked the oracle at Sussex and it remains intact.

“My key message is that I look to build on people’s strengths, build belief in players - because without belief, players can’t play,” he explains.

Chief Executive Jim Cumbes knew Moores was the right man for the role of Lancashire's head coach

“It’s their fuel in their engine - everything they’re about. To build that belief you have to work very hard on the training ground.

“It is not always a quick process. But if you knuckle down you can make yourselves into exceptional players.”

As for his own frame of mind, he admits he did not immediately feel inclined to return to coaching so soon after his England disappointment. But once Watkinson sounded him out, the lure of Lancashire was strong.

“It would have been difficult to go to any county straight away - I would have taken a break,” Moores confirmed.

“I knew I wanted to come back into coaching. I probably didn’t expect it to be quite as quick as this.

“But I’m a bit of a fatalist, and the fact that the job came up at that time made my mind up.

“Growing up, the two jobs I would have dreamed of would have been Lancashire and England.”

About to realise both in the space of less than two years, he is resolved to giving Old Trafford his very best shot - and not averse to the suggestion he could yet have a second stab at Lord’s one day.

“I enjoyed coaching for England,” Moores insists. “You never say never, to have another go at it.

“But if that’s going to happen it’s going to be a in a decent length of time.

“The main thing now is to get stuck in at Lancashire, with all the challenges that brings. I think it will be great fun.”