Joining United last season from Nuneaton in England, Benn started life in the Murray Valley Cricket Association (MVCA) with a bang and boasts a decorated cricketing CV sure to benefit the combine next season.
“I started playing cricket during the 2005 Ashes series, that was when most people my age got hooked on cricket,” Benn said.
“I was actually selected to play for the Greece under-17 team; we went on a couple of European tours to the Isle of Man and Germany which was great.
“When I moved back to the UK I was 17, I started out at the Nuneaton Cricket Club where I've been for the past 10 years.”
Spending six of those years carving a name for himself in the Warwickshire Cricket League first division, Benn’s resume checks out.
His parting gift to Nuneaton was a cool 63 wickets at 14.21 last year to finish as the club’s champion bowler for the season, and has shown no teething problems in the MVCA.
Benn posted 18 wickets during last season's competition, including a dazzling five-for, to earn a place in United’s Team of the Year.
“(The MVCA) has been competitive; I think there will again be a divide between the top four and the lower teams,” he said.
“It seems to be the same few teams at the top for the past few years, so hopefully we can knock a few teams off their perch.
“I’m looking forward to the season, hopefully we can get back out on the pitch as soon as possible.”
Finishing sixth last season, United’s youth shone through in what was otherwise a fairly gruelling campaign for the side.
Benn anticipates he will be counting on the club’s future talents again to deliver, hoping to surround his current playing contingent with some new additions to bolster the combine.
“Hopefully we will have a few new signings in,” he said.
“We have quite a good set of young players who play week in week out so it will be about building on the senior players we already have and just taking each game as it comes.”
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