Tikolo targets new Kenyan golden run by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 11th March 2007

 

Steve Tikolo believes an opening World Cup win over Canada on Wednesday can be the springboard for a repeat of Kenya's stunning run to the 2003 semi-finals.

 

Four years ago, Kenya made the last four on the back of a surprise win over former champions Sri Lanka as well as being gifted a walkover win when New Zealand refused to play in Nairobi on security grounds.

 

The Kiwis are in their group again this time and the two meet on March 20 but first it's a Group C opening clash with Canada in St Lucia on Wednesday.

 

"The other players look up to me in a big way. They know I've been there, a veteran," 35-year-old Tikolo told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.

 

"This is my fourth World Cup and also the performances speak for themselves. In Kenya, there is a lot of respect in that area. I just wake up every day and looking at the guys, the enthusiasm in the team. I feel proud to be leading this team.

 

"Our aim is to play each game as it comes, try to be as competitive as we can.

 

"We have been doing the little things right. We just had a tournament in Nairobi where we won the World Cricket League so we have momentum coming into this tournament.

 

"But again, I think it's not going to be easy so we mustn't lie to ourselves. Most of the teams will be coming to beat Kenya because they know what we did in the 2003 World Cup."

 

Only two teams will qualify for the second round Super Eights with England and New Zealand, both fresh from recent wins over world champions Australia, favoured to fill those slots.

 

But Tikolo is not fazed by the challenge.

 

"We'll be looking to try and win against Canada and then get a win against one of the two Test-playing countries," he said. "In this game anything and everything is possible. The guys are positive.

 

"In one-day cricket it might take one ball for the game to turn around so we are always positive when we go out and we know we can achieve the feat we did in 2003."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)