Australian cricket great Rod Marsh expects Tom Moody to be coaching in the 2009 Ashes series, although he's unsure whether he'll be leading Australia or England.

Marsh, who played 97 Tests for Australia and later headed England's cricket academy, believes both Ashes rivals will be interested in securing the services of Moody, who is currently coaching Sri Lanka.

Australia is soon to start the search for a successor to coach John Buchanan, whose contract expires after the World Cup which starts in the Caribbean in March.

England's Duncan Fletcher will also be under enormous pressure to retain his position considering the Ashes thrashing this summer.

Marsh believes Moody, a former Australian player and also a successful coach at English county level, could head the list of the Ashes rivals as future coaching prospects and will be involved in the 2009 campaign.

"I expect to see Tom Moody there, but I am not sure which team he will be coaching," Marsh wrote in Britain's Observer newspaper.

"Tom has the credentials for the top jobs in international cricket." Marsh was certain Cricket Australia would appoint an Australian for the job and said former South Australian wicketkeeper Tim Nielsen, the current head of the centre of excellence, was a strong candidate.

He said Peter Moores, England's academy director, would also be seriously considered to succeed Fletcher, along with former New Zealand batsman John Wright, who might be ready for another coaching challenge after his stint as coach of India.

Marsh expected there to be some notable changes at the team level for the 2009 Ashes, mainly from Australia, which bodes for a more even contest than this summer's series.

He forecast NSW's Brad Haddin to have replaced Adam Gilchrist as wicketkeeper, Tasmania's Tim Paine to be opening with NSW's Phil Jaques, and South Australia's Cullen Bailey to be in the side as No.1 spinner.

Marsh predicted Andrew Strauss to be captaining England and Michael Vaughan, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Paul Collingwood to have all moved on.

Marsh nominated batsmen Ed Joyce and Owais Shah and fast bowler Liam Plunkett to all be playing with allrounder Andrew Flintoff batting at No.7 and freed of the captaincy.

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