Steve Tikolo

Stephen Ogonji Tikolo (born 25 June 1971) is a former Kenya cricketer. Tikolo is widely regarded as the best Kenyan cricket player ever, having scored the most runs and taken the second most wickets for the team in ODI's.^[2]

Career

Tikolo is a right-handed middle order batsman and part time right-arm medium pace and off-spin bowler. Tikolo has previously represented Border in South African domestic cricket and has also spent time playing in England and Bangladesh. Most recently he has been playing club cricket in England and in Kenya he plays for Swamibapa Cricket Club in Nairobi. Additionally, Tikolo has also represented an Africa XI against an Asia XI.

Such is Tikolo's dominance of Kenyan cricket, that as of January 2007 he possessed six of the nine highest scores by a Kenyan batsman in ODI cricket.^[3] Tikolo has made three ODI centuries; 106* against Bangladesh, 111 against Bermuda and 102 against Zimbabwe. He has been dismissed in the 90s on three occasions.^[4]

Tikolo came from a cricketing family with his oldest brother Tom being a former captain of Kenya while his other brother David Tikolo played in the 1996 Cricket World Cup. It was in that tournament that Tikolo made his ODI debut for Kenya. Coming in at 3 for his maiden innings Tikolo made 65 against India. Tikolo went on to play a couple more impressive innings in the Cup, top scoring for his side with 29 in their historic victory over West Indies at Pune and 96 against Sri Lanka at Kandy.

Tikolo further enhanced his reputation as Kenya's premier batsman with 147 against Bangladesh in the 1997 ICC Trophy final. The innings gave them official ODI status and booked Kenya's place in England for the 1999 Cricket World Cup. It was another successful World Cup for Tikolo as he made a pair of 50's against India and England.

In 2002 Tikolo was named as the new Kenyan captain and led from the front in the Champions Trophy with innings of 93 and 69.

Tikolo led the Kenyan national side during their run to the semi finals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. This was a huge feat for a country that has not even been granted Test status.

After a poor 2004 Champions Trophy he quit as captain and instead led a players' strike in protest of internal politics. The strike forced a new regime and he returned as captain.

In 2005 Tikolo was signed by Haverigg to play cricket in England.^[5]

In 2007 he became the first player from a non Test playing country to appear in 100 ODI games. In 2008 Tikolo was selected as captain of The Eastern Aces in Kenya's Domestic Tournament, the Sahara Elite League

Tikolo retired after the 2009 season. His last major tournament, and his last appearance as captain, was the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier, where Kenya secured place for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.^[6]

On 18 August 2010, months after walking out on the team and indicating he would not play international cricket again, Steve Tikolo has announced his availability for the 2011 World Cup. He announced his retirement after the World Cup.

On 10 July 2012 it was announced that Tikolo had been appointed the batting coach of the Ugandan national team.^[7]

ODI Centuries

First Class Centuries

See also

• Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania

References

1. ↑ "Steve Tikolo". ESPN:Cricinfo. 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
2. ↑ "Steve Tikolo - Kenya's greatest cricketer". ESPN. March 20, 2011. 
3. ↑ "ODI Career Highest Individual Scores: Kenya". CricInfo. Retrieved 2009-07-11. 
4. ↑ "Steve Tikolo innings by innings ODI record". CricInfo. Retrieved 2009-07-11. 
5. ↑ "Cricket pros playing in Cumbria". BBC Cumbria. Retrieved 2009-07-11. 
6. ↑ Daily Nation, 18 April 2009: Kenya skipper Tikolo’s takes a bow after brilliant innings
7. ↑ "Steve Tikolo teams up with Uganda". CricInfo. ESPN CricInfo. Retrieved 10 July 2012. 

External links

• Player profile: Steve Tikolo from ESPNcricinfo
• Player profile: Steve Tikolo from CricketArchive

v t e Kenya squad – 1996 Cricket World Cup 1 Odumbe (c) 2 Ali 3 Chudasama 4 Iqbal 5 Karim 6 Modi 7 Odoyo 8 Odumbe 9 Onyango 10 Otieno (wk) 11 Patel 12 Suji 13 LO Tikolo 14 SO Tikolo

v t e Kenya squad – 1999 Cricket World Cup 1 Karim (c) 2 Odumbe 3 Shah 4 Otieno (wk) 5 Tikolo 6 Modi 7 Gupta 8 Odoyo 9 T Suji 10 MA Suji 11 Sheikh 12 Angara 13 Chudasama 14 Vadher 15 Kamande

v t e Kenya squad – 2003 Cricket World Cup Semi-Finalists 1 Karim 4 Shah 5 Tikolo (c) 7 Vadher 9 T Suji 10 MA Suji 12 Angara 14 Patel 18 Modi 21 DO Obuya 22 CO Obuya 28 Otieno 55 Odoyo 69 Odumbe 77 Ongondo Coach: Patil

v t e Kenya squad – 2007 Cricket World Cup 00 Odoyo 4 Shah 5 Tikolo (c) 07 Bhudia 09 Suji 11 Kamande 13 C. Obuya 17 Ouma 18 Patel 21 D. Obuya 35 Odhiambo 75 Onyango 77 Ongondo 84 Varaiya 89 Mishra Coach: Harper

v t e Kenya squad – 2007 ICC World Twenty20 00 Odoyo 5 Tikolo (c) 07 Bhudia 09 Suji 11 Kamande 13 C. Obuya 17 Ouma 21 D. Obuya 35 Odhiambo 39 Otieno 75 Onyango 77 Ongondo 84 Varaiya 89 Mishra 99 Obanda

v t e Kenya squad – 2011 Cricket World Cup 4 Waters 5 Odoyo 11 Kamande (c) 17 Ouma 21 D. Obuya 25 Tikolo 27 C. Obuya 29 J. Ngoche 35 Odhiambo 39 Otieno 52 Patel 66 S. Ngoche 77 Ongondo 89 Mishra 99 Obanda Coach: Baptiste