Emmanuel Benjamin

Emmanuel Benjamin (born 2 February 1955), nicknamed Benji,^[2] is a former professional cricketer who played at high levels in Australia, England, and India. From Jalandhar,^[3] he 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 further matches for a North Zone schools side in the underage 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 two 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, Tasmania (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]

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