Chris Benham
Encyclopedia
Christopher 'Chris' Charles Benham (born 24 March 1983) is an English
cricket
er. Benham is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break
. He was born at Frimley
, Surrey
. He attended Yateley School
across the county border at Yateley
in Hampshire
. Making his debut at the professional level for the Hampshire Cricket Board in 2001, he spent 6 years playing for Hampshire, before being released by the county after the 2010 season. He currently plays for the Unicorns.
at the age of 10, becoming a product of the county's academy system. It was in the 2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
that he made his debut in List A cricket for the Hampshire Cricket Board
against the Kent Cricket Board
. During the match he was dismissed for a duck
by Andy Tutt
. Three years later, while attending Loughborough University
, Benham made his first-class
debut for Loughborough UCCE
against Somerset
. In the 2004 season, he made three further first-class appearances for the University, as well as making his Hampshire debut in the County Championship
against Derbyshire
. On debut he made his maiden half century, scoring 74 runs.
The following season
he became more of a feature in the Hampshire side in the County Championship, but would have to wait until 2006 to make his List A debut for the county, which eventually came against Kent
in the 2006 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
. Known as an aggressive middle-order batsman, it was in the 2006 Pro40 that he recorded his maiden century
and highest score in all formats during his time at Hampshire. He scored an unbeaten
158 in the Promotion/Relegation match against Glamorgan
, helping Hampshire to a 151 run win and promotion to Division 1 and winning praise from then Hampshire captain Shane Warne
, with Warne tipping him as a possible future Hampshire captain. Benham did captain
Hampshire, once in a first-class match in 2006 against Loughborough UCCE. At the end of the 2006 season
, Benham was awarded the NBC Denis Compton Award
.
, Benham had to wait until the 2006 Twenty20 Cup to make his Twenty20
debut against Sussex
. It was perhaps in this format that the inconsistency which plagued him in his latter years with Hampshire was most evident. In a format of the game that would on the face of it seem to suite Benham's natural game, he struggled in his four years representing Hampshire in the format. In those four years he played 37 Twenty20 matches, scoring 447 runs at a poor batting average
of 15.96, with just a single half century score of 59. Indeed, in the 2010 Friends Provident t20 competition, he featured in just three fixtures.
In the first-class format he had to wait until the 2009 County Championship
to record his first first-class century, making 111 against Loughborough UCCE, before following that up later in the season with a score of 100 against county champions Durham
. The 2009 season was his best with the bat in the first-class format, scoring 316 runs and averaging 45.14. In no other season in which he played more than a single match for Hampshire did he average over 40; in four of the seasons since 2004 he averaged under 30.
Benham was a more consistent, yet equally inconsistent batsman in List A cricket. Following on from his success in the 2006 season, in which he averaged over 50, he had marked success on the pitch. In the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy
he was a member of Hampshire's runner-up squad, although he did not feature in the final against Durham. Two years later he played a key role in the final of the 2009 Friends Provident Trophy
against Sussex. He scored an unbeaten 37 and hit the winning runs as Hampshire won by 6 wickets at Lord's
against Sussex. His innings was part of an unbeaten partnership of 67 with wicket-keeper Nic Pothas
as Hampshire chased down their target of 220 to win the game. By the end of the 2009 season
, he had played 54 one-day matches for Hampshire, scoring 1,564 runs at an average of 36.37, with a high score of 158. He converted his starts in this format more often, making four centuries and seven half centuries.
Come the 2010 County Championship
, Benham started the season in the first-class starting XI, but throughout the season he failed to hold down a regular place in the team, due in part to the emergence of batsman James Vince
. He did not feature in any one-day matches in 2010 and played just three Twenty20 fixtures, but was a member of Hampshire's 2010 Friends Provident t20
winning team. Come the end of the season, he had last featured in the County Championship in August against Yorkshire
. This marked his final first-class match, by which since 2004 he had played in 45 fixtures, scoring 1,975 runs at an average of 27.05, with two centuries and ten half centuries. His average perhaps demonstrated the inconsistency with which Benham had at the highest domestic level.
he was released by the county in October. Following his release, Benham has stated his desire to still play cricket at the highest level. On March 1, 2011 it was announced that Benham had signed for the Unicorns
for the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40
. His debut for the Unicorns came in their first match of the competition against Lancashire
, with Benham scoring a single run before being dismissed by Glen Chapple
. After a couple of quiet games for the Unicorns, he scored his maiden half century for the team against Essex
in May. Later in May he was offered a trial by Nottinghamshire
, before playing for Wiltshire
in Minor counties cricket.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. Benham is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break
Off break
Off break is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It is the attacking delivery of an off spin bowler. Off breaks are known as off spinners....
. He was born at Frimley
Frimley
Frimley is a small English town situated 2 miles south of Camberley, in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire. It is about 31 miles west south-west of Central London. It is part of the Borough of Surrey Heath...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He attended Yateley School
Yateley School
Yateley School is the largest secondary school in North East Hampshire. The school teaches over 1500 students aged 11 – 16, and the attached sixth form college caters for ages 16–18. The school has Arts College status. The school had its latest Ofsted Report in 2010.Yateley School contains three ...
across the county border at Yateley
Yateley
Yateley is a suburban town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. It lies in the north-eastern corner of Hart District Council. It includes the settlements of Frogmore and Darby Green. It had a population of 21,011 according to the 2001 census...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Making his debut at the professional level for the Hampshire Cricket Board in 2001, he spent 6 years playing for Hampshire, before being released by the county after the 2010 season. He currently plays for the Unicorns.
Early career
Benham was first associated with HampshireHampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
at the age of 10, becoming a product of the county's academy system. It was in the 2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
The 2001 Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy was the 1st Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy following its change of name from the NatWest Trophy. It was an English limited overs county cricket tournament which was held between 1 May and 1 September 2001...
that he made his debut in List A cricket for the Hampshire Cricket Board
Hampshire Cricket Board
The Hampshire Cricket Board was formed in 1996 and is the governing body for all recreational cricket in the historic county of Hampshire...
against the Kent Cricket Board
Kent Cricket Board
The Kent Cricket Board is the governing body for all recreational cricket in the historic county of Kent.From 1999 to 2004 the Board fielded a team in the English domestic one-day tournament.-Structure:...
. During the match he was dismissed for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
by Andy Tutt
Andy Tutt
Andy Tutt was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler who played for Kent. He was born in Bermondsey....
. Three years later, while attending Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
, Benham made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for Loughborough UCCE
Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence
Loughborough MCC University is a cricket coaching centre based at Loughborough University in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England and the name under which the university's cricket team plays.- About :The coaching centre is largely funded by the Marylebone Cricket Club...
against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
. In the 2004 season, he made three further first-class appearances for the University, as well as making his Hampshire debut in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
. On debut he made his maiden half century, scoring 74 runs.
The following season
2005 English cricket season
Before the beginning of the 2005 English cricket season began, a resurgent English cricket team had won four Test series in a row, going unbeaten through the 2004 calendar year. The start of the international season saw England defeat Bangladesh 2–0 in their two-match series, winning both Tests by...
he became more of a feature in the Hampshire side in the County Championship, but would have to wait until 2006 to make his List A debut for the county, which eventually came against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
in the 2006 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
2006 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
-External links:* at CricketArchive....
. Known as an aggressive middle-order batsman, it was in the 2006 Pro40 that he recorded his maiden century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
and highest score in all formats during his time at Hampshire. He scored an unbeaten
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
158 in the Promotion/Relegation match against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
, helping Hampshire to a 151 run win and promotion to Division 1 and winning praise from then Hampshire captain Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
, with Warne tipping him as a possible future Hampshire captain. Benham did captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
Hampshire, once in a first-class match in 2006 against Loughborough UCCE. At the end of the 2006 season
2006 English cricket season
The 2006 English cricket season includes home international series for England against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. England are coming off a winter with more Test losses than wins, for the first time since 2002-03, but still attained their best series result in India since 1985...
, Benham was awarded the NBC Denis Compton Award
NBC Denis Compton Award
The NBC Denis Compton Award is an annual award given to 'The Most Promising Young Player' at each of the 18 English first-class counties. A player may receive the award more than once.-History:...
.
Struggle for consistency
Despite being a flare player with the batCricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball. It is usually made of willow wood. Its use is first mentioned in 1624....
, Benham had to wait until the 2006 Twenty20 Cup to make his Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
debut against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
. It was perhaps in this format that the inconsistency which plagued him in his latter years with Hampshire was most evident. In a format of the game that would on the face of it seem to suite Benham's natural game, he struggled in his four years representing Hampshire in the format. In those four years he played 37 Twenty20 matches, scoring 447 runs at a poor batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 15.96, with just a single half century score of 59. Indeed, in the 2010 Friends Provident t20 competition, he featured in just three fixtures.
In the first-class format he had to wait until the 2009 County Championship
2009 County Championship
The 2009 County Championship season, known as the LV County Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the 110th County Championship season. It was contested through two divisions: Division One and Division Two. Each team played all the others in their division both home and away...
to record his first first-class century, making 111 against Loughborough UCCE, before following that up later in the season with a score of 100 against county champions Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
. The 2009 season was his best with the bat in the first-class format, scoring 316 runs and averaging 45.14. In no other season in which he played more than a single match for Hampshire did he average over 40; in four of the seasons since 2004 he averaged under 30.
Benham was a more consistent, yet equally inconsistent batsman in List A cricket. Following on from his success in the 2006 season, in which he averaged over 50, he had marked success on the pitch. In the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy
2007 Friends Provident Trophy
The 2007 Friends Provident Trophy was an English county cricket tournament, held between 22 April and 19 August 2007. The tournament was won by Durham.- Changes from previous tournament :...
he was a member of Hampshire's runner-up squad, although he did not feature in the final against Durham. Two years later he played a key role in the final of the 2009 Friends Provident Trophy
2009 Friends Provident Trophy
The 2009 Friends Provident Trophy was an English county cricket tournament, held between 19 April and 25 July 2009. The competition was won by Hampshire Hawks who beat the Sussex Sharks by 6 wickets at Lord's.- Format :...
against Sussex. He scored an unbeaten 37 and hit the winning runs as Hampshire won by 6 wickets at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
against Sussex. His innings was part of an unbeaten partnership of 67 with wicket-keeper Nic Pothas
Nic Pothas
Nic Pothas is a South African cricketer who plays as a right-handed batsman and who fields as a wicket-keeper. In a total of over 200 first-class matches, he has taken over 500 catches...
as Hampshire chased down their target of 220 to win the game. By the end of the 2009 season
2009 English cricket season
-Knockout stage:-External links:* from Cricinfo...
, he had played 54 one-day matches for Hampshire, scoring 1,564 runs at an average of 36.37, with a high score of 158. He converted his starts in this format more often, making four centuries and seven half centuries.
Come the 2010 County Championship
2010 County Championship
The 2010 County Championship season, known as the LV County Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the 111th County Championship season. It was contested through two divisions: Division One and Division Two. Each team played all the others in their division both home and away...
, Benham started the season in the first-class starting XI, but throughout the season he failed to hold down a regular place in the team, due in part to the emergence of batsman James Vince
James Vince
James Michael Vince is an English cricketer who currently plays for Hampshire County Cricket Club...
. He did not feature in any one-day matches in 2010 and played just three Twenty20 fixtures, but was a member of Hampshire's 2010 Friends Provident t20
2010 Friends Provident t20
The 2010 Friends Provident t20 tournament was the inaugural Friends Provident t20 Twenty20 cricket competition for the England and Wales first-class counties. The competition ran from 1 June 2010 until the finals day at The Rose Bowl on 14 August 2010...
winning team. Come the end of the season, he had last featured in the County Championship in August against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
. This marked his final first-class match, by which since 2004 he had played in 45 fixtures, scoring 1,975 runs at an average of 27.05, with two centuries and ten half centuries. His average perhaps demonstrated the inconsistency with which Benham had at the highest domestic level.
Joining the Unicorns
At the end of the 2010 season2010 English cricket season
-External links:* from Cricinfo...
he was released by the county in October. Following his release, Benham has stated his desire to still play cricket at the highest level. On March 1, 2011 it was announced that Benham had signed for the Unicorns
Unicorns (cricket team)
Unicorns is a cricket team in England that was formed in 2010 specifically to play in the Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs competition. Members of the squad are all players without current full-time contracts with one of the regular first-class counties....
for the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40
2011 Clydesdale Bank 40
The 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 tournament is the second season of the Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs cricket competition for the England and Wales first-class counties...
. His debut for the Unicorns came in their first match of the competition against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, with Benham scoring a single run before being dismissed by Glen Chapple
Glen Chapple
Glen Chapple is an English cricketer. He is an all-rounder, and represented the national team in a One Day International, as well as performing well for Lancashire over many years. He bowls right-arm fast-medium, and is a right-handed batsman...
. After a couple of quiet games for the Unicorns, he scored his maiden half century for the team against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
in May. Later in May he was offered a trial by Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
, before playing for Wiltshire
Wiltshire County Cricket Club
Wiltshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Wiltshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
in Minor counties cricket.
External links
- Chris Benham at CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
- Chris Benham at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...