Tikolo still keen to prove Kenya is the best

Captain Steve still has the hunger to make it to another Cricket World Cup

There can be few players who represent cricket in one particular country more than Steve Tikolo does for the game in Kenya. In his heyday, Tikolo enjoyed the tag of the best international batsman outside the Test world and despite his 37 years slowing him down a little in field, Tikolo’s wicket is still the one Kenya’s opponents prize most and his wily off-spinners continue to pose problems for all but the most vigilant and adept of batsmen.

Since Kenya reached the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, it has not really kicked on in the way many commentators had predicted. But along with Ireland and Scotland, Kenya would still be considered odds-on to claim one of the four qualification spots for the big event in 2011.

“This event means a lot to us,” said Tikolo. “This is a World Cup Qualifier so we need to do very well to be among the four teams to qualify so the guys are looking forward to it… Qualifying for the World Cup still means so much to me and it is vital for Kenyan cricket that we get there,” he said.

Notwithstanding the apparent slowing in Kenya’s progress, it is still the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 champion and although it failed to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2009 having done so successfully for the 2007 event, there are signs that the future is not as bleak as some people have suggested.

Having shown early promise, young players such as Seren Waters, Rakep Patel and Alex Obanda could form the nucleus of this Kenya side for the next decade along with the likes of Maurice Ouma and it is at tournaments like this that we will see if the next generation can step up and perhaps lay a claim to being the next Tikolo, Thomas Odoyo or Collins Obuya.

“We certainly have some good players coming through so that is encouraging. We have a good mix between the young guys and those of us who have been around a while. We have prepared well. We have been to South Africa for a number of games so I would say we are confident.

“But it’s important for us to remember that being the strongest or one of the strongest teams in the competition doesn’t count for anything if you don’t perform on the particular day. I wouldn’t say we’ll go there thinking we are the top side and that we’re going to walk all over the other teams but I can confidently say we have prepared well,” said Tikolo.

Kenya (squad): Steve Tikolo (captain), Peter Ongondo, Hiren Varaiya, Kennedy Obuya, Collins Obuya, Thomas Odoyo, Morris Ouma, Nehemiah Odhiambo , Alex Obanda, Seren Waters, James Kamande, Rakep Patel, Rajesh Bhudiya, Lameck Ngoche, Elijah Asoyo.

Listen to the full interview with Steve Tikolo at http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/cwcq/audio.html.

This captain’s interview is one of 12 being sent out in the days leading up to the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The schedule for those releases is as follows (including those that have been sent out already):

31 Jan – confirmation of all 12 participating teams

10 Feb – fixtures and venues confirmation

10 Mar – squad announcements (all 12 squads)

Releases (12) in the month beforehand, each focusing on one of the teams:

11 Mar – Namibia

12 Mar – Bermuda

13 Mar – Scotland

16 Mar – Ireland

17 Mar – Afghanistan

18 Mar – Canada

19 Mar – Netherlands

20 Mar – UAE

23 Mar – Uganda

24 Mar – Kenya

25 Mar – Oman

26 Mar – Denmark

In addition, there will be further tournament previews and other features sent out before the event gets underway on 1 April.
In total there are eight venues being used for 54 matches played over 19 days with 12 teams fighting it out for the four qualification places on offer in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, formerly known as the ICC Trophy, incorporates Divisions 1 and 2 of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League and is the gateway for the top Associate and Affiliate teams into the premier one-day tournament in the world.

Day one of the event offers up perhaps the most eagerly awaited fixture of all with defending champion Scotland taking on fierce rival Ireland in an ODI at Willowmoore Park in what will be a repeat of the final in 2005.

Among the teams will be Afghanistan and Uganda, which both qualified from January’s Pepsi World Cricket League Division 3 event in Buenos Aires. The WCL was created to provide a clear pathway for teams outside the top 10 towards improvement and ultimately, the ICC Cricket World Cup. This global event gives ICC Associate and Affiliate Members the opportunity to play similarly ranked sides in meaningful competition regardless of where they are located in the world.

The 12 teams taking part in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier are split into two groups of six teams. Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Oman, Namibia and Uganda make up Group A while Kenya, Netherlands, Bermuda, UAE, Denmark and Afghanistan form Group B.

Each side plays the other teams in its group once with the top four from the groups progressing to the Super Eight stage. The teams each play four Super Eight matches against the sides they did not meet in the group stage. All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Eight stage apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group.

The top two teams in the Super Eight stage will contest the final to be played at Centurion on 19 April. The third and fourth-placed sides will play-off at Potchefstroom, the fifth and sixth-placed sides play off at Willowmoore Park while the seventh and eighth-placed teams play off at Stan Friedman Oval, Krugersdorp.

The top four sides at the event qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The top six teams secure ODI status until 2013 and also qualify automatically for the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2009-10.

The bottom two teams from the CWCQ, which incorporates Divisions 1 and 2 of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League, will be relegated to Division 3.

Note to reporters and editors: the process of media accreditation for the event is now closed. If you require accreditation and still have not applied please emaillucy.benjamin@icc-cricket.comimmediately.