Full Name

Dale Martin Benkenstein

Born

June 09, 1974, Salisbury (now Harare), Rhodesia

Age

49y 284d

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Medium, Right arm Offbreak

Playing Role

Allrounder

RELATIONS

(father),

(brother),

(brother),

(son)

Dale Martin Benkenstein, born in Zimbabwe but educated at Michaelhouse in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, comes from a serious cricketing family. His father Martin represented Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe); his brothers Brett and Boyd both played for Natal B, but it was Dale who first played for and captained both Natal Schools and South African Schools before making his debut for Natal in 1993-94 and the national team in 1998. At an early stage Dale showed his captaincy skills and was at one stage earmarked as the successor to Hansie Cronje as South Africa captain. Benkenstein played 23 ODIs, the last against Bangladesh in Benoni in 2002, but was never a regular member of the national side and for some reason was never selected to play Test cricket. Dale agrees that he never took advantage of the chances that did come his way.

Wrongly regarded as solely a one-day specialist for a time, Benkenstein has scored close to 10,000 limited-overs runs and has one hundred as a middle order batsman. He is also more than useful with the ball as a third change bowler.

His first-class career speaks volumes for his ability. He has scored over 15,000 runs at an average around 45. He also boasts over 100 wickets with his seamers and has the reputation of being a partnership breaker.

Having captained Natal and the Dolphins, Benkenstein was made Durham's captain for the 2006 season. He had arrived at the county the season before, after Durham had finished bottom of the Championship for the fifth time in their 13 years as a first-class county. Benkenstein's arrival was an important factor in Durham's coming of age, and in 2007 they won the Friends Provident Trophy and were runners-up in the Championship - and Benkenstein ceased to be a Kolpak as he acquired a British passport. In 2008, the Championship was won for the first time after an innings victory over Kent.

Benkenstein stepped down as captain at the end of that season, handing the reins over to Will Smith, but remained as a valuable member of the side in all three formats and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2009. His 2011 season was the most productive of his career in England, yielding 1,366 runs at 59.39, including four centuries and a further nine half-centuries. He became Durham's all-time highest run-scorer having overtaken Jon Lewis's mark of 7,854 during the 2011 season. He is married to Jacquiline and enjoys golf and fishing when not on the cricket field.
ESPNcricinfo staff

Dale Benkenstein Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
ODIs232033056917.9446365.870120030
FC264408471596225944.21--3886--1690
List A300270627308107*35.13--144--1130
T20s99891617696024.231380128.180614959320

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
ODIs234654443/53/511.004.0616.2000
FC264-757736151004/16-36.152.8675.7-00
List A300-31972681874/164/1630.815.0336.7300
T20s9931468579213/103/1027.577.4222.2000
Dale Martin Benkenstein

Explore Statsguru Analysis

ODI

Recent Matches of Dale Benkenstein

MatchBatBowlDateGroundFormat
M.C.C. vs Herts9*0/2222-Jun-2014Lord'sOTHEROD
Durham 2nd vs MCC YC6--03-Jun-2013BrandonOTHEROD
Durham vs Surrey74* & 60/110-May-2013The OvalFC
Durham vs Surrey----09-May-2013The OvalList A
Durham vs Lancashire17*--06-May-2013ManchesterList A

Photos of Dale Benkenstein

Dale Benkenstein joins Lancashire from Gloucestershire
Dale Benkenstein earlier served as Hampshire's head coach
Dale Benkenstein cuts on his way to 61
Dale Benkenstein took 144 balls to make 43
Tim Ambrose appeals successfully for the wicket of Dale Benkenstein
Dale Benkenstein hit 63 to extend Durham's lead