The top-order batsman, who was playing first-class cricket in his homeland, answered Dennington’s call for an overseas player in 2011.

His Dennington side lost a grand final to Merrivale. And Silva, who dreamed of working in finance, ventured to Melbourne for studies after two seasons at the kennel.

Now playing at Russells Creek, Silva is chasing a premiership medal against Allansford on Saturday.

It was friendship and love which lured the 29-year-old back to the south-west, four years after he first left.

“I thought I’d come back here because I’m good friends with (captain) Cam (Williams), Bundy (coach Jayaweera Bandara and Izzy (Yaddehige). The time was right to come back to play with my mates,” Silva said.

“It’s very different from Sri Lanka here. It’s a nice environment, a nice place. I found my wife – I’m now married – to a girl from Ecklin.

“Her parents are farmers. I went to study in Melbourne for a few years and I’ve found a job with Sinclair Wilson as a junior financial planner. It’s worked perfectly.”

On Warrnambool’s cricket pitches, Silva has flirted with success, but hasn’t yet tasted the ultimate glory.

While his Dennington side fell short in 2013, Silva also finished as a runner-up with Creek last season.

But this time, he feels the tide could be turning.

“I think this season is more in favour of us than last year. Now we know we can lose, and that we have to work hard to win,” Silva said.

“We have the same team as last year, pretty much. What we did differently was that we’ve learnt from the mistakes we made last season.

"We are so pumped up as a team. We’re sure we are going to win it – hopefully. We’ve worked very hard this season.” Russells Creek, who finished second in the season proper, has named an unchanged lineup after its semi-final draw with West Warrnambool.