Benkenstein: We deserved to go up as champions

Mission accomplished.

Hampshire’s Royal London One-Day Cup failure - the worst List A campaign in the county’s history (never before have they only managed a solitary one-day win) - and the anti-climactic semi-final defeat at T20 Finals Day were the low points of this summer.

But 2014 will be remembered by Hampshire fans for the county’s first first-class trophy since winning the second of their two County Championship titles 41 years ago.

The four limited-overs trophies won since 2009 were special but Championship success is achieved over a potential 64 days of the season so is the best measure of a team’s consistency.

Which is why there was such relief when Hampshire ended Benkenstein’s first season by clinching promotion with their third win in four games, by 291 runs against Glamorgan in Cardiff on Thursday.

“I feel so much happiness for those players, there are a few guys in that side who probably thought this moment would never come in their careers, so this means a lot to them,” said Benkenstein, who remained phlegmatic as the champagne flowed.

“It feels very different to being a player. You feel that you have a lot more influence on the game when you are on the field.

“When we win or lose, I don’t quite feel the same as a coach.

"The happiness is for them they have done it.”

James Tomlinson summed up Benkenstein’s impact after taking 6-48 against Glamorgan. “Dale’s given us huge amounts of confidence and belief because he’s been there and done it.

“You couldn’t have a better man to talk to.”

Jimmy Adams concurred: “Dale’s been a big part of this, he came in wanting us to win the proper way by playing hard, grinding cricket,” said the captain.

Benkenstein’s modus operandi has fitted in well at Hampshire.

“I definitely don’t hide away from it if we’ve played poorly, but I’m not a shouter and a screamer, it’s not a case of a dictator telling people what to do,” he said.

“In the beginning it was just me talking but what I found really good was seeing senior members in the team sort things out.

“I’ve played under coaches that want to have total control and you lose a bit of that individuality. It doesn’t work when people are waiting to be told what to do.”

Benkenstein preferred to credit others after Hampshire made up for the fourth-place finishes of 2012 and 2013.

“I’m lucky in that it’s a very good environment,” he said. “We have excellent support staff and coaches, everyone works together and it makes life easy for me.

“Maybe just that bit of experience of how to win has helped. But you can’t win if you don’t have the players and the support of everyone around you.”

Hampshire won more games than this season’s seven when they finished second in the first division under Shane Warne in 2005.

But their solitary defeat - by two wickets in a thriller against Essex at Colchester in July – makes this team the county’s most resilient since the unbeaten class of 1973.

“To get success in the Championship, it’s your win-to-loss ratio that gives you the edge,” continued Benkenstein.

“Losing only one game, which is one we should have won on a fairly poor pitch, showed a lot.

“When you’re in trouble and you fight to get out of it, that’s what gives you the edge. It’s easy when you are winning to be up for it and everything is going brilliantly.

“But a lot of teams will buckle when they are under pressure. Getting draws when we haven’t played as well has been as important as getting the wins when we’ve been on top.

“That’s what has made us a good team.”

Hampshire were second best in five of their eight draws, and their last-day rearguards after following on, against Kent in their penultimate match and at Worcester in June, were particularly crucial in securing the title.

But Hampshire still had to win three of their last four games to fend off competition from Essex, who won six of their last seven.

“To finish like that shows that we are a proper side,” said Benkenstein. “I felt we deserved to go up as champions.

“But Essex have been outstanding. Worcestershire did enough in the beginning to give them that edge but I feel really sorry for Essex. They are very unlucky not to go up.”

Benkenstein has had to make some tough decision in recent weeks, particularly the releasing of Michael Bates and the dropping of Danny Briggs following the signing of Imran Tahir for the last two matches.

“Danny only played eight games but his stats are up there with Monty Panesar so it was a tough call,” admitted Benkenstein. “But it was important to have someone like Immy as he can change a game.”

Hampshire’s recovery from 53-5, having won the toss on the first morning of the final match, summed up their season.

“Essex were running through Worcestershire at that stage and we were under real pressure,” recalled Benkenstein.

“The way the other game was going, we knew that we were either going to win it or come third.

“I always knew that one partnership could change things but I was thinking ‘how do I handle that or what do we say to the guys if we hadn’t got promoted?’ Fortunately, James Vince and Sean Ervine responded with centuries and a 225-run stand.

“The wicket was really tough and they scored at four runs per over,” said Benkenstein. “The way they played was like they were on a different pitch. There were some hints of some really special-quality cricketers.

“The most enjoyable thing for me is how this team has fought when we have been in trouble.

“We stood up and put in the performance when it mattered and that’s what makes champion teams.”