Baptiste aims to rekindle Kenya's glory days

Eldine Baptiste has said he aims to return Kenya to the top as the No. 1 Associate country during his two-year spell as national coach.

"It is a great privilege and honour to be in Kenya," he told the media on his arrival in Nairobi. "I know the cricket is not what it used to be but I want to achieve the winning team.

"I will personally take charge in identifying young players and the selection of the players into the national team, and hopefully, we will put Kenya back as the number one in the Associates."

Baptiste takes charge of a side in transition, with the selectors looking to ease out the old guard who have served the team so well and bring on the next generation of players.

Results over the last few years have been mixed, with poor performances at the 2007 World Cup and ICC World Twenty20, a failure to qualify for the 2009 World Twenty20 and some one-day drubbings at the hands of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Even though Andy Kirsten, Baptiste's predecessor, guided the team through the qualifiers for the 2011 World Cup, it was not enough for his contract to be extended.

Kenya tour Zimbabwe in October for a four-day Intercontinental Cup tie and five ODIs.