Emmanuel Benjamin

Emmanuel Benjamin (born 2 February 1955), nicknamed Benji,[2] is an Australian former professional cricketer who played at high levels in Australia, England, and India. He was born in India, but emigrated to Australia in the 1980s and became a naturalised Australian citizen.

Emmanuel Benjamin

Personal information
Full name	Emmanuel Benjamin
Born	(1955-02-02) 2 February 1955 Jullundur, Punjab, India
Bowling	Slow left-arm[1]
Role	All-rounder
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1973–1978	Punjab (India)
1980	Bedfordshire (minor counties)
1982	Tasmania
Career statistics
Competition FC Matches 22 Runs scored 463 Batting average 13.61 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 46 Balls bowled 2,385 Wickets 37 Bowling average 29.94 5 wickets in innings 2 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 6/51 Catches/stumpings 19/-
Source: CricketArchive, 2 April 2014

Life and career

Born in Jullundur,[3] Benjamin toured the British Isles with an India Schools representative side during the 1973 English season, playing six matches alongside future Test player Bharath Reddy and several other future first-class cricketers.[4] After playing for a North Zone schools side in the under-age Cooch Behar Trophy, Benjamin made his first-class debut in October 1973,[5] taking two wickets for a Vazir Sultan Tobacco Colts XI against a Hyderabad Cricket Association XI in the quarter-final of the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Tournament.[6] A bowling all-rounder, he debuted for Punjab later that month, taking 5/37 on debut against Jammu and Kashmir,[7] and was a regular in Ranji Trophy teams through to the 1977–78 season.[8] His best innings figures also came against Jammu and Kashmir – 6/51 in November 1975 to help bowl out the side for 167 in the first innings.[9]

Benjamin spent the 1980 English season playing for Bedfordshire in the Minor Counties Championship, a spell which included half-centuries against Buckinghamshire and Shropshire.[10][11] His best figures in the competition, 6/85, came against Suffolk in both teams' last match of the season, which was not enough to prevent a one-wicket loss after Suffolk's final three batsmen put on 89 runs (including 53 not out from Colin Rutterford).[12]

During the 1981–82 Sheffield Shield season, Benjamin played a single match for Tasmania, bowling 23 overs without taking a wicket.[13] Remaining in Australia, he had a long career for the Ulverstone Cricket Club at grade cricket level,[14] and became a naturalised citizen of Australia in 1991.[15]

A resident of Leith (near Ulverstone), Benjamin unsuccessfully contested the Division of Braddon for the Tasmanian branch of the National Party at the 2014 state election. He received 0.79% of first preference votes, while the party's candidates collectively received 2.16% on first preferences.[16]

See also

• List of Tasmanian representative cricketers

References

1. "Emmanuel Benjamin, an all-rounder who bowls a deceptively slow left-arm delivery…" "Shield bats face early rehearsal" – The Canberra Times. Published 18 September 1981. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
2. Tasmanian Election 2014: Braddon – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
3. Emmanuel Benjamin player profile – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
4. Miscellaneous matches played by Emmanuel Benjamin (10) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
5. First-class matches played by Emmanuel Benjamin (22) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
6. Hyderabad Cricket Association XI v Vazir Sultan Tobacco Colts XI, Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Tournament 1973/74 (Quarter-Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
7. Punjab v Jammu and Kashmir, Ranji Trophy 1973/74 (North Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
8. Ranji Trophy matches played by Emmanuel Benjamin (20) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
9. Punjab v Jammu and Kashmir, Ranji Trophy 1975/76 (North Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
10. Bedfordshire v Buckinghamshire, Minor Counties Championship 1980 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
11. Shropshire v Bedfordshire, Minor Counties Championship 1980 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
12. Suffolk v Bedfordshire, Minor Counties Championship 1980 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
13. Tasmania v Queensland, Sheffield Shield 1981/82 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
14. History Archived 12 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine – Ulverstone District Cricket Club. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
15. Braddon: Benji Benjamin – Tasmanian Nationals. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
16. Final results: 2014 House of Assembly elections Archived 18 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine – Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Final as of 27 March 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.