Kenya need more cricket exposure: Tikolo

Kenya need to play regularly against major teams if they are ever to improve at the big tournaments, veteran all-rounder Steve Tikolo said on Sunday.

Kenya, who qualified for the 2003 World Cup semi-finals in South Africa, lost all of their six league matches at the 2011 edition with Sunday's 161-run defeat to Zimbabwe at Eden Gardens completing a miserable campaign.

"In 2003, we had a team that had been together since 1996. We gelled well as players and had been playing good cricket all along then and had fought well against top teams," Tikolo said after making his last World Cup apperance.

"Things changed after 2003 as we hardly played top teams. I think we last played Pakistan in 2004 and Australia in 2003. When you meet them in big tournaments it does not your confidence any good," he said.

"Back at home, we need to revamp the local structure. Youngsters need to play three-day and four-day cricket."

Tikolo, who figured in five World Cups, has scored 3,421 runs with three hundreds and 24 half-centuries and bagged 94 wickets in 134 one-day internationals.

"I am 39 and can't go on forever. One just has to get on with life and give others a chance," said Tikolo, who led Kenya to the 2003 semi-finals.

He was also part of the team which upset the West Indies in a 1996 World Cup match at Pune in India.