Siller ready for Fiji adventure

Published on Friday 18 April 2008 22:53

THE road from Leith to Suva may not be one often travelled along in a bid to catapult yourself into the international sporting arena, but for 38-year-old Watsonians spinner Colin Siller it could just be the journey of a lifetime after being named head coach of the Fiji national side.

Siller heads off for the Fijian capital next Friday and is "incredibly excited" at the prospect of coaching the side ranked 28th in the world.

He said: "It is a great honour to have been handed a head coach's role. Fiji were a founding member of the ICC and it will be my role to improve the cricket structure there from the senior team downwards. I am really looking forward to working with the young talent as well as getting to know the people."

Siller, who has played for Leith Franklin, Holy Cross, Corstorphine and Gala over the years as well as Watsonians, has previously worked as an age-grade coach with Ireland and was an assistant coach with Canada during the 2005 ICC Trophy. He was then headhunted by Zimbabwe Cricket in 2006 to become coach education manager and assistant coach for the national side.

This did not happen due to politics in the region, but last year he was one of the final two candidates for the Hong Kong head coach job, being pipped by former England international, Aftab Habib.

"I have had to bide my time to get a head coaching job, but this is a great opportunity I have been given with Fiji and I am just keen to get out there, get started and give it my best shot," he added.

Siller has initially been handed a six-month contract and as soon as he arrives he will begin preparing the national side for World Cricket League Division Four matches in Tanzania in October against the hosts, Italy, Hong Kong and two other – as yet unconfirmed – teams.

His first matches in charge will be against Vanuatu at home in mid-May when they will contest a three-match one-day series.