Steve Tikolo to retire

[andruid]

You'd assume Thomas Odoyo would be the replacement as captain, however Im gonna take a punt and say Kamande will get the job.

Full explanation

I expect Odoyo will take over captaincy with Collins Obuya or Kamande as VC. Its Odoyo's shot anyway. I expect Tikolo will be there to guide the young'ens

 

[Chemosit]

Still wants to hang around for two more years but doesn't want to play in the WC. Not sure what the point of that is, just taking someone else's spot.

Spots need to be earned, not taken for granted. If someone proves good enough to take his spot, fair game to them, if not, he has given enough that he should get to retire on his terms.

As the best batsman in the side, he should play until he does retire - Kenya still needs to field its best side on the park when they play. If he is available, he is too good not to include. Besides, he may find that without the burden of captaincy, he gains a new lease and stays on to the WC.

I somehow suspect though that we will see a phasing out as he moves into a coaching role.

I for one hope that I will get to see him play for Kenya at least once more.

 

[Chemosit]

You'd assume Thomas Odoyo would be the replacement as captain, however Im gonna take a punt and say Kamande will get the job.

my pick is for Odoyo to get captaincy with Kamande vice.

 

[zaremba]

Just playing Devil's advocate, and being horribly uncharitable for a moment, was Steve Tikolo really that great a batsman?

FC average of 51 suggests a good player; an ODI average of 31 (27 against non-minnows) suggests that he was hardly up to international standard.

 

[fredfertang]

Just playing Devil's advocate, and being horribly uncharitable for a moment, was Steve Tikolo really that great a batsman?

I think he's a special case where stats are concerned but the sad fact of the matter is we'll never know - I only ever saw him in ODI's and I don't, in truth, recall ever seeing him score all that heavily, but he had so much time to play his shots that I genuinely think that he could have been very good indeed

It always surprised me he never got a county contract or otherwise played overseas - whether that's lack of opportunity, lack of desire or loyalty to Kenya I have no idea but if it was the former, in whole or in part, then the ICC seriously let him down in not creating the opportunities he needed

 

[andruid]

I think he's a special case where stats are concerned but the sad fact of the matter is we'll never know - I only ever saw him in ODI's and I don't, in truth, recall ever seeing him score all that heavily, but he had so much time to play his shots that I genuinely think that he could have been very good indeed

It always surprised me he never got a county contract or otherwise played overseas - whether that's lack of opportunity, lack of desire or loyalty to Kenya I have no idea but if it was the former, in whole or in part, then the ICC seriously let him down in not creating the opportunities he needed

played for Boland, a couple of club sides in Bangladesh and a club team in Lamcashire IIRC

 

[fredfertang]

Indeed he did - half a dozen moderately successful games of South African domestic cricket at the beginning of his career - he deserved rather more - and I have no doubt Warwickshire have always regretted signing the wrong Kenyan in 2003

 

[Chemosit]

Just playing Devil's advocate, and being horribly uncharitable for a moment, was Steve Tikolo really that great a batsman?

FC average of 51 suggests a good player; an ODI average of 31 (27 against non-minnows) suggests that he was hardly up to international standard.

2 points - one the already mentioned lack of opportunity. Especially during his peak years, he hardly got to play regular ODIs. At that point in time, most Test teams would play more in a year than he looked like getting in a career.

second - when a player is as instrumental in his side's batting line up as he was, there was often a lack of support from those around him. I think had you seen a couple more top class batsmen to support him and allow him to play a more conventional innings, his average would have been that much better as he would not have had to always put the foot on the accelerator so early due to the speed of wickets falling at the other end.

 

[alvarez]

A pretty interesting time for Kenyan cricket in general, with Kennedy Otieno and Lameck Onyango not far away from retirement themselves I would assume.

They seem to have quite a few talented players coming though the ranks though.

Also this will help Kenya out a lot if it all comes through.

The Standard | Online Edition :: Cricket Kenya seeks Indian aid in World Cup plans


Then again, how will this effect their IC Cup team if it goes ahead and matches clash?

 

[andruid]

A pretty interesting time for Kenyan cricket in general, with Kennedy Otieno and Lameck Onyango not far away from retirement themselves I would assume.

They seem to have quite a few talented players coming though the ranks though.

Also this will help Kenya out a lot if it all comes through.

The Standard | Online Edition :: Cricket Kenya seeks Indian aid in World Cup plans


Then again, how will this effect their IC Cup team if it goes ahead and matches clash?

Did he just call the all mighty BCCI, the 'Indian boy' like it were some back water village co-operative? Piss poor journalists

Good to see Inamdar working those links and it would be god to see thelikes of Variya develop their spintechniques in India.

 

[zaremba]

2 points - one the already mentioned lack of opportunity. Especially during his peak years, he hardly got to play regular ODIs. At that point in time, most Test teams would play more in a year than he looked like getting in a career.

second - when a player is as instrumental in his side's batting line up as he was, there was often a lack of support from those around him. I think had you seen a couple more top class batsmen to support him and allow him to play a more conventional innings, his average would have been that much better as he would not have had to always put the foot on the accelerator so early due to the speed of wickets falling at the other end.

Yeah, fair points. But I wonder if those factors are sufficient to have reduced a more-or-less top-class player (which is what he's generally billed to be) to a batting average of 27 against non-minnows. I'm still not sure.

 

[Chemosit]

Yeah, fair points. But I wonder if those factors are sufficient to have reduced a more-or-less top-class player (which is what he's generally billed to be) to a batting average of 27 against non-minnows. I'm still not sure.

did you ever get to watch him bat?

 

[zaremba]

Yeah a few times - not many - and like fredfertang I never really saw him get any runs. I realise what high regard he's held in, though, so I know he must have been a serious player. I'm just not sure what to make of his record.

 

[Evilhoopler]

Good player, bit of a liability in the feild tho. Best non-test batsman. And he was HUGE

 

[alvarez]

Ongondo seems to think Ouma is a good candidate for the captaincy


Maybe it'd be a good thing adding responsibility to his game.

I cant get the link to work......

 

[chaminda_00]

Wouldn't Aga be your man, if you ever got him to play for you guys again.

 

[alvarez]

Wouldn't Aga be your man, if you ever got him to play for you guys again.

He is also mentioned as a candidate in said article.

http://www.eastandard.net/sports/InsidePage.php?id=1144012640&cid=41&

 

[Chemosit]

Can't see Ouma as captaincy material tbh. see my earlier points
Aga would be good, but he doesn't sound like he is keen to rejoin the team at the mo, that alone should rule him out. not that I blame him for looking after himself, but that attitude would be detrimental as a captain of a national side

 

[andruid]

Good player, bit of a liability in the feild tho. Best non-test batsman. And he was HUGE

Are we talking about the same Steve Tikolo? He was a really good at slip and fairly sharp at point IIRC

Wouldn't Aga be your man, if you ever got him to play for you guys again.

maybe but he is hardly around long enough to really bond with the team at the elevel needed to make his capatincy skill work

 

[alvarez]

If they're gonna make Aga captain they may as well name Mishra or Sheikh as vice captain.....

Also have to agree Ouma doesnt come accross as captaincy material. Seems to irresponsible as a cricketer for that role.