Dale Benkenstein
{{short description|South African cricketer and coach}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Dale Benkenstein
| image = Benkenstein.gif
| country = South Africa
| fullname = Dale Martin Benkenstein
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|6|9|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Salisbury, Rhodesia
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right arm medium, off break
| family = Luc Benkenstein (son)
| international = true
| odidebutdate = 25 October
| odidebutyear = 1998
| odidebutagainst = England
| odicap = 51
| lastodidate = 6 October
| lastodiyear = 2002
| lastodiagainst = Bangladesh
| odishirt =
| club1 = Natal
| year1 = 1993–2004
| club2 = Dolphins
| year2 = 2004–2010
| club3 = Durham
| year3 = 2005–2014
| columns = 4
| column1 = ODI
| matches1 = 23
| runs1 = 305
| bat avg1 = 17.94
| 100s/50s1 = 0/1
| top score1 = 69
| deliveries1 = 65
| wickets1 = 4
| bowl avg1 = 11.00
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 3/5
| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–
| column2 = FC
| matches2 = 264
| runs2 = 15,962
| bat avg2 = 44.21
| 100s/50s2 = 38/86
| top score2 = 259
| deliveries2 = 7,577
| wickets2 = 100
| bowl avg2 = 36.15
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 4/16
| catches/stumpings2 = 169/–
| column3 = LA
| matches3 = 300
| runs3 = 7,308
| bat avg3 = 35.13
| 100s/50s3 = 1/44
| top score3 = 107*
| deliveries3 = 3,197
| wickets3 = 87
| bowl avg3 = 30.81
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 4/16
| catches/stumpings3 = 113/–
| column4 = T20
| matches4 = 99
| runs4 = 1,769
| bat avg4 = 24.23
| 100s/50s4 = 0/6
| top score4 = 60
| deliveries4 = 468
| wickets4 = 21
| bowl avg4 = 27.57
| fivefor4 = 0
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling4 = 3/10
| catches/stumpings4 = 32/–
| date = 13 February
| year = 2014
| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/3/3934/3934.html CricketArchive
| module = {{Infobox medal templates | titlestyle = background-color: lightsteelblue; | expand=yes
| medals = {{MedalCountry| {{RSA}}}}
{{MedalSport|Men's Cricket}}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalGold|1998 Kuala Lumpur|List-A cricket}}
}}
}}
Dale Martin Benkenstein (born 9 June 1974) is a South African former cricketer who was an all-rounder. He is currently first-team coach at Lancashire, having previously held the same role at Gloucestershire. Benkenstein was a member of the South Africa team that won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy, the only ICC trophy the country has won till date.
Early life
Benkenstein was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe), the son of Martin Benkenstein, who had played for Rhodesia in the Currie Cup in the 1970s. In 1980, around the time of Zimbabwean independence, Martin moved his family to Durban, South Africa. There, Benkenstein attended Durban Preparatory High School, Durban High School and Michaelhouse schools. He captained the SA Schools side in 1992, and led the SA Colts team to the West Indies in the same year.
Domestic career
=Natal=
Benkenstein made his debut at the age of 18 for Natal in the 1993/94 season, playing under the tutelage of Malcolm Marshall. Marshall's analytical captaincy style made an impression on the young Benkenstein, who was later quoted as saying "In my eyes, he took the art of captaincy to another level." When Marshall left Natal at the end of the 1996 season, Benkenstein, still only 22, was selected to succeed him as captain. While he got off to an unsteady start as captain, with Natal being heavily defeated by Border in his first game at the helm, he later recovered and led the team to win both the four-day and one-day domestic competitions.
=Durham=
When Benkenstein joined Durham for the 2005 season, he collected the club's player of the year award during his first attempt. During this time he also filled in as skipper for the absent Mike Hussey and Paul Collingwood. He went on to score 1,427 runs, which was a run scoring record at Durham until his mark was overtaken by Michael Di Venuto in 2009.
Dale has been quoted as to saying 2008 may be his last season in the sport as he wants to spend more time with his wife Jacqueline and children in Consett.
=International career=
Benkenstein had represented his country many times as a junior, including a stint as captain of the South African Schools side, and in the under-19 development team. Benkenstein's senior ODI debut for South Africa came against England at Dhaka in 1998/99, when the teams were playing in the quarter-final of the Wills International Cup. Despite some useful contributions, including 69 against the West Indies at Cape Town in 1998 and 3/5 against Kenya in the 2002/03 ICC Champions Trophy tournament, he never managed to establish himself as a permanent member of the team. Benkenstein later admitted that he had not taken full advantage of the opportunities that came his way at the international level.
Coaching career
Benkenstein was named coach of Hampshire in February 2014, having worked as a batting coach for the South African side Dolphins.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/will-macpherson-does-international-experience-make-or-break-a-coach-880195|title=Does international experience make or break a coach?|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=14 November 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dale-benkenstein-appointed-as-hampshire-coach-718711|title=Benkenstein appointed as Hampshire coach|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=14 November 2021}} He left his coaching role at Hampshire in July 2016 due to family reasons.{{cite news |title=Benkenstein leaves Hampshire for family reasons |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2016/content/story/1038281.html |work=ESPNcricinfo |publisher=ESPN Sports Media |date=23 July 2016 |access-date=23 July 2016 }} After returning to South Africa he became head coach at Hilton College where he worked with 2019 Hilton head boy, and future Hampshire County Cricket Club bowler, John Turner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/cricket/overseas-players-likely-be-denied-southern-premier-cricket-league-debut-2020-2844450|title=The overseas players likely to be denied a Southern Premier Cricket League debut in 2020|website=Portsmouth.co.uk|access-date=14 November 2021}}{{Cite web|url=http://kzn10.com/6009-2/|title=Cricket talent in abundance coming from the Family of @KZN10com Schools ||website=Kzn10.cxom|access-date=14 November 2021}}
In May 2021, Benkenstein joined Lancashire as batting coach on a short-term contract.{{Cite web|url=https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2021-news/dale-benkenstein-named-lancashire-batting-coach/|title=Dale Benkenstein named Lancashire Batting Coach|website=Lancashire CCC|date=4 May 2021|access-date=30 November 2021}} In November 2021 he was named head coach of Gloucestershire on a three-year contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59475298|title=Dale Benkenstein: Gloucestershire name ex-South Africa all-rounder as head coach on three-year deal|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 November 2021|access-date=30 November 2021}}
He was appointed head coach of Lancashire in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Dale Benkenstein appointed Lancashire men’s Head Coach |url=https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2023-news/dale-benkenstein-appointed-lancashire-men-s-head-coach/ |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=Lancashire County Cricket Club |language=en-gb}}
Awards
Benkenstein was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2009, based on his work with Durham in the English county championship.
Style
Career best performances
Updated 19 July 2011
| class=wikitable style="font-size:90%" |
| |
! colspan="4"|Batting ! colspan="4"|Bowling |
|---|
| !Score
!Fixture !Venue !Season !Score !Fixture !Venue !Season |
| ODI
| style="text-align:center;"|69 | style="text-align:center;"|1999 | style="text-align:center;"|3–5 | style="text-align:center;"|2002 |
| FC
| style="text-align:center;"|259 | style="text-align:center;"|2005 | style="text-align:center;"|4–16 | style="text-align:center;"|2005 |
| LA
| style="text-align:center;"|107* |Natal v North West |Fochville | style="text-align:center;"|1997 | style="text-align:center;"|4–16 | style="text-align:center;"|2005 |
| T20
| style="text-align:center;"|60 |Durham v Lancashire | style="text-align:center;"|2011 | style="text-align:center;"|3–10 | style="text-align:center;"|2005 |
References
{{reflist|refs=
}}
External links
- {{ESPNcricinfo|id=44070}}
{{Lancashire County Cricket Club squad}}
{{South Africa Squad 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy}}
{{South Africa Squad 1999 Cricket World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benkenstein, Dale}}
Category:White Rhodesian people
Category:Zimbabwean emigrants to South Africa
Category:South African cricketers
Category:Alumni of Michaelhouse
Category:Alumni of Highbury Preparatory School
Category:South Africa One Day International cricketers
Category:KwaZulu-Natal cricketers
Category:Dolphins (South African cricket team) players
Category:21st-century South African sportsmen
Category:South African expatriate cricketers in England
Category:Durham cricket captains
Category:Cricketers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa
Category:Delhi Giants cricketers
Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Category:Cricketers from Harare
Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers
Category:South African cricket coaches