http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/598345.html
Saliya Ahangama: the holiday-maker who stayed
Coaching has also been the focus for Ahangama, who came with his wife to Melbourne in 2000 to visit his sister-in-law. It was a holiday that turned into a permanent move. Back in Sri Lanka, Ahangama had been coaching the SSC club, and when he was visiting Melbourne, he heard that the Prahran Cricket Club was looking for a coach. Ahangama got the job, was sponsored in his move by Tony Greig, with whom he had commentated in Sri Lanka, and the rest is history.
At Prahran, Ahangama had the pleasure of coaching David Hussey before he became a state cricketer. He also spent time as a bowling coach with Dandenong, where he worked with Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Darren Pattinson.
"That was a great experience," Ahangama said. "I won't take the credit, though - they were great bowlers. Watching the work ethic and the way they went about their business, you could see they were going to get to the top, especially Peter Siddle."
For the past two years, he has been the bowling coach with Hawthorn-Monash University, another club in Melbourne's premier competition, and the team for whom Lasith Malinga played a one-off T20 earlier this month while he was preparing for the Big Bash League.
It was a combination of cricket and family that brought Ahangama to Melbourne - his sister-in-law had lived in the city since 1985, and her husband's family since the 1960s - and he has no plans to move back to Sri Lanka. "It's been a great experience," he said. "It's home for me now, there's no two ways about it."
Saliya Ahangama: the holiday-maker who stayed
Coaching has also been the focus for Ahangama, who came with his wife to Melbourne in 2000 to visit his sister-in-law. It was a holiday that turned into a permanent move. Back in Sri Lanka, Ahangama had been coaching the SSC club, and when he was visiting Melbourne, he heard that the Prahran Cricket Club was looking for a coach. Ahangama got the job, was sponsored in his move by Tony Greig, with whom he had commentated in Sri Lanka, and the rest is history.
At Prahran, Ahangama had the pleasure of coaching David Hussey before he became a state cricketer. He also spent time as a bowling coach with Dandenong, where he worked with Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Darren Pattinson.
"That was a great experience," Ahangama said. "I won't take the credit, though - they were great bowlers. Watching the work ethic and the way they went about their business, you could see they were going to get to the top, especially Peter Siddle."
For the past two years, he has been the bowling coach with Hawthorn-Monash University, another club in Melbourne's premier competition, and the team for whom Lasith Malinga played a one-off T20 earlier this month while he was preparing for the Big Bash League.
It was a combination of cricket and family that brought Ahangama to Melbourne - his sister-in-law had lived in the city since 1985, and her husband's family since the 1960s - and he has no plans to move back to Sri Lanka. "It's been a great experience," he said. "It's home for me now, there's no two ways about it."
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