Kenya captain Steve Tikolo admitted he was glad to have come through all his off-field battles after leading from the front during his side's convincing seven-wicket win in their World Cup opener against Canada.

Set 200 to win, after tight spin bowling had restricted the North Americans, Kenya - the shock semi-finalists of four years ago - finished on 203 for three with Tikolo showing all his old panache to finish on 72 not out.

Three years ago, such a peformance seemed a long way-off.

Tikolo, now appearing in his fourth World Cup and long Kenya's best player (Wednesday's was his 19th one-day international fifty), had quit as captain after a poor Champions Trophy.

Frustrated by some 18 months of rows with his own board, he resigned as captain and became a central figure in a players' strike that saw him pushing for better terms and conditions for his side.

Kenyan cricket came to its senses and, rather than risk losing Tikolo and several other senior players, it was the old board who went.

When a new regime was installed, Tikolo, now 35, returned as captain, his class and passion for cricket undimmed.

"I'm really glad. The World Cup is the ultimate in any sport and I am glad to be here. At that particular time we had domestic problems back home with the board. That was why I took that decision to step aside because I didn't want to work with a management that was not doing things right."

Reflecting on how the match had gone, Tikolo paid tribute to the performance of opening batsman Maurice Ouma (58) and spinners Jimmy Kamande (two for 25 off 10 overs) and Hiren Varaiya (one for 19).

"All in all it was a good game. Up front we gave away too many runs but the spinners pulled it back in the middle to restrict them

"Then when we batted, Maurice Ouma batted brilliantly. Then myself and Tanmay Mishra (35 not out) just finished off the game."

At the 2003 World Cup, Kenya enjoyed a stunning victory against 1996 champions Sri Lanka and Tikolo said further heroics were possible against Group C giants England, who Kenya play on Sunday, and New Zealand.

"I believe in my players, I do have confidence in them.

"They know this is the World Cup and this is the big stage. How they carried themselves today goes to show they were up for it."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)