Interview with Dale Benkenstein

Natal captain Dale Benkenstein has resolved to take his disappointments at national level "on the chin", although he does feel hard done by in terms of his treatment by the South African selectors. "Although I was happy with my season for Natal, there was a lot of disappointment with the South African team," Benkenstein told the Natal Witness shortly before leaving for Philadelphia in the United States on holiday. I was upset that I did not get a decent run in the national team three games at the most". My one-day internationals were all at different times and in different places.

The selectors are trying to bring through a lot of younger players right now, but it hasn¹t always been done logically and that has led to uncertainty. For instance, it really hurt me to be dropped out of the whole squad for the England/Zimbabwe series after just two games "Benkenstein is quick to admit that he was disappointed in himself for not making full use of the chances he did get. Opportunities at that high level are not very frequent and there are other guys in the Natal team who would just love to be called up just once." It's not easy up there at international level and the stakes are very high, but I think I was bowled six times in a row, which for me is very unusual.

I have to say things did not go exactly to plan, but things change quickly at that level and you're living on the edge, what with it being your job and everything. But I'll take it on the chin and I'm going to have to sit down and take a look at myself and work on a few things.

Taking a closer look at Benkenstein's performances, coming in more often than not at difficult times when the middle-order was under pressure due to top-order failures and the need to score quickly, one sees that the 25-year-old actually made some decent contributions. He seemed on the brink of establishing himself in India when he scored 27 off 28 balls and then 24 at around a run-a-ball when South Africa were five wickets down and leg-spin maestro Anil Kumble, who he has never faced before, had his tail up and fielders around the bat.

Benkenstein then sat out the rest of the series. What was frustrating for Benkenstein was that he almost always got himself out trying to score runs "maybe I was just trying to hit the wrong balls" but he has always been happy to play for the team good in a harsh format of the game where a big score can cost you the match if it is made too slowly.

For Natal, Benkenstein averaged 43 in the four-day game and over 50 in his restricted day/night appearances, but he did feel the absence of a century during the season. Having been re-appointed this week as Dolphins captain for the coming season, Benkenstein is confident his team can build on their much-improved showing in 1999/2000. "I think we'll be right up there next season. We've got a really good blend of youth and experience and in Wade Wingfield, Kevin Pietersen and Jon Kent we have three of the best young all-rounders in the country. I don't think any other province has three like that."

Benkenstein does, however, see the signing of a strike bowler as crucial if Natal are to win any trophies. "It makes a big difference, you only have to look at Boland, who won the day/night cup because of their bowling attack." In mulling over the previous season, Benkenstein can't help thinking about what he terms a ³tactical error² in the SuperSport Series match against Eastern Province at Kingsmead in December. "We were on top almost throughout, but we had to settle for a draw when we had to win to have a chance of success in the competition. The pitch was too good, but that was because we were worried about Nantie Hayward possibly playing (in the end he didn't), and we should have backed our batsmen."

Benkenstein added that the media were not alone in worrying about the changing nature of the Kingsmead pitch. "It's still a good pitch, but it may be getting a bit old, flatter and slower. There was still good bounce, but it never seemed to do much else for us. Then again, I suppose it depends on the weather and whose bowling on it." With Benkenstein no longer on the United Cricket Board's list of contracted players, the Natal camp can look forward to his help for most of next season, although the Dolphins obviously believe it would be super if their much-liked captain can finally nail down a permanent place in the national team. Interestingly, Benkenstein asked the KZNCU to think long and hard before re-appointing him as captain.

"I was concerned at becoming just a part of the furniture and losing my spark as captain", Benkenstein explained. "Although I consider it a great privilege to captain Natal and I am very happy to do it as it was one of my schoolboy goals, I felt being in and out of the team had maybe caused me to slacken a bit, and I told the executive I was happy to step down if they felt there was someone better to do the job."

Fortunately, next season Natal fans will once again see Benkenstein at the helm in a season that will bring new challenges both on and off the field for the Michaelhouse old boy, who was delighted to announce his engagement recently to national hockey star Jacqui Geyser, a Pietermaritzburg product.