VIKRAM Solanki is a man who knows exactly what he wants - and that's to help Worcestershire return to trophy-winning ways.

He recalls the golden era of Ian Botham, Graham Dilley and Neal Radford and is eager to be part of the same kind of success they generated during their time at New Road.

"At the stage where I joined it was at the end of the Botham, Dilley, Radford era which was a very successful side. It's always difficult to follow when all those guys retire and it's hard to fill their boots straight away. But in the time I've been here we have had some guys come in and hopefully we can built towards trophy-winning sides," said the determined 23-year-old.

"In John Elliott we have got an ambitious chairman and he's great around the guys and he wants all the boys to do well. He's a successful businessman and I think he wants to instil that success within the team."

Since joining Worcestershire, Solanki has gone from strength to strength with the bat, but firmly believes that there's still a lot more of his stroke-making talent to shine through.

He is currently the County's leading first-class run scorer with 838 at an average of 36.43 and is well on course to complete 1,000 in a season for the first time in his career.

Last year he finished just one run short.

He is also Worcestershire's current leader scorer in the Championship with 745 at an average of 33.86.

"Scoreswise I've got two hundreds so far this season, but in the recent Kent game I should definitely have contributed a bit more with the bat. I was disappointed with the way I got out at an important time in the match. We had a fairly decent partnership going and perhaps it was an irresponsible shot.

"Without putting the kiss of death on me too much I haven't been doing that sort of thing of late as often as I was accused of doing it. But I just take it game by game really. I've been quite happy with the way I have been batting."

So far, however, the two innings' that clearly stick out in his mind are his career-best 171 off the Gloucestershire attack in the Championship match at Cheltenham last month and the 126 against Northamptonshire at Northampton.

His maiden Championship ton arrived last term when on escort duty for Graeme Hick's 100th century while his second was 170 against Derbyshire at Derby last August.

His first three figure effort for Worcestershire, however, was 128 not out against Oxford University in The Parks in May, 1997.

His recent tons were a well earned return to century-making after going close on a couple of occasions earlier in the season against Nottinghamshire (91) and Hampshire (84).

"It's always nice to get runs, but when you feel as though it contributes to the team and to the end result it's always nicer.

"Right at the start of the season I missed out on two centuries which I should have got against Notts and Hants so I was particularly pleased to get the one against Northants. But I could always do with a few more.

"A hundred is a target but I don't think you walk to the wicket and think I've got to get a hundred here because that's just putting unnecessary pressure on yourself.

"First thoughts on getting to the wicket are just to get yourself in and feeling comfortable at the crease. Getting off the mark is the primary thought rather than a hundred."

More centuries, however, seem destined to drip off Solanki's bat as part of his quest to be a key member of a Worcestershire trophy-winning side.

He began his County season on the back of an England A tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

"It was an enjoyable trip and very successful as a team. But, personally, I didn't have a magnificent time by an estimation.

"I had a 'so-so' trip. I got a couple of scores, not massive ones, but in the context of the game they were decent scores.

"But I don't think I can say that it set me up for the county season because you come back and it's just the start of another season and you need to get down to your work here."

Monday, August 2, 1999.