KARACHI: Kenya may not have been a major force in world cricket but Steve Tikolo was a world-class batsman during his country’s playing days in the international arena.

Now touring Pakistan as the head coach of the national side, which is preparing for the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 competition from Jan 17 to 24 in Namibia, the 43-year-old expressed the hope that Kenya will return to the mainstream sooner than later.

In an exclusive interview on Saturday, the former national skipper told Dawn from Lahore that Kenya are happy to be playing in Pakistan at a time when no other country is willing to visit here.

“Our main goal is to regain our lost ranking in international cricket; we are longing to play in top flight ODI and T20 competitions after the ICC stripped Kenya’s status. The significant aspect of touring Pakistan is to play as much cricket as possible. Right now we are preparing for an ICC event in Namibia,” Tikolo said. “The first two teams from that competition will qualify to play the four-day Intercontinental Cup. Therefore, our visit here is very crucial because I feel that Kenya need maximum practice.”

Tikolo admitted that Kenya did very well during his playing days. “The reason we did so well to reach the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup [in southern Africa] was that we had a side that had played together for five years. Then we had some very good cricketers in the ranks. We knew each other’s strength and so forth.”

One of the key factors, Tikolo points out, made Kenya a competitive side in international cricket was they used to play against major teams. “At that time we played a lot of cricket. We used to compete against ‘A’ teams of Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka as well as their Test sides too.

“But sadly after 2003 our game started sliding down because of poor management. People responsible started to look as if it was their own business instead of looking at it as our national game. For me, that was the root cause of our decline as cricketing nation.

“The process of development was not there and the desired back-up didn’t really come through because we never did enough to keep that going. In a nutshell those two things, poor management and lack of developing players were the main reasons of our fall from grace.”

But Tikolo remains optimistic that Cricket Kenya’s current management is doing enough to make cricket the top sport of the African nation.

“The current board, headed by chairperson Jackie Janmohammed, is looking to develop the game in the country at the grassroots level. They are going to different zones in order to spread cricket and far. And to me that is the route to take because when you do that a lot of people playing the game and you’ll definitely get a lot of talented players,” Tikolo says.

“Development is the key to our revival and the current board is just trying to do that. Moreover, the current players need to play more matches to improve themselves. We are extremely grateful to Pakistan for giving us the chance to play here because we second to none and this tour give our boys the opportunity to become better cricketers.”

Tikolo, arguably one of the best batsmen outside Test cricket, admitted he was saddened at the state of cricket in Kenya.

“It is indeed very sad because many thought we were going to the next Test-playing country even before Bangladesh. We didn’t that opportunity to jump at gaining Test status and teams like Bangladesh and even Ireland and Afghanistan have overtaken us.

“So for me as person who played a lot for Kenya this is a very sad story. But hopefully we are trying to turn around things. I have been given the opportunity of being the head coach of this team. And all I want is to help the current lot become good players who could take forward.

Tikolo, Kenya’s record run-getter in 131 ODIs with 3428, was once regarded as Viv Richards of Kenya during his playing days.

“To be fair honestly speaking, Viv Richards’ shoes are very, very ones to fill. Of course, I’m very much honoured when people refer to me like that. But I think I played my role to put Kenya on the cricket map. It all boils down to the talent the God gave me. I preferred to be known as Steve Tikolo but it is great compliments to be mentioned alongside the legend that Viv is,” he said.

Tikolo, who claimed 94 ODI wickets with his off-spinners, figured in all of Kenya’s five World Cup campaigns and was part of the team that stunned the West Indies in 1996.

“One thing that springs to mind from that unbelievable game in Pune is that we faced three fearsome fast bowlers [Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Ian Bishop]. West Indies were role model and just to be on the same ground as them was something out of this world for all of us. And to go and beat them was something very, very special and the most unforgettable moment in our lives.

“I remember hitting Walsh over deep midwicket for a six and catching out Chanderpaul.”