Cricket writer Tim Wellock looks back on the career of Zimbabwe-born Dale Benkenstein, who last week became Durham’s top first-class run scorer, overtaking the record held held by Jon Lewis. And despite reaching the age of 37, the prolific batsman has no intention of quitting the sport, which is good news for his county.

WHEN Paul Collingwood described Dale Benkenstein as "an all-round great man" he was echoing a view long held by Durham members.

Minutes before the comment, Collingwood had watched his team-mate hit the four which clinched victory against Lancashire at Liverpool and etched his most notable entry in the county's record books.

By cutting left-arm spinner Gary Keedy to the boundary, Benkenstein reached 7,855 first-class runs for Durham, one more than the record held by Jon Lewis since his move into coaching five years ago.

Benkenstein's proudest achievements will remain leading Durham to their first trophies - in the 50-over knockout cup (the Friends Provident Trophy) in 2007 and their first County Championship title the following year.

But he admitted that breaking the individual record was "special", adding: "Durham has been an amazing part of my career. You get to around 30 in South African cricket and if you're not playing, or have a chance of playing, for the national team then you're generally finished.

"It was all I've ever done, and Durham gave me the chance to continue playing, and I've always been grateful for that. I want to keep my body in one piece. It takes the strain at 37, but I want to keep playing as long as I'm fit and contributing."

In terms of runs alone, his contribution has been immense. He scored more than 1,200 first-class runs and averaged over 50 in each of his first three seasons, and after admitting to a disappointing return last year he has come back stronger than ever.

Only Marcus Trescothick beat him to 1,000 runs and he currently has a first-class average this season of 78.15.

He was unbeaten in both innings at Liverpool, scoring 83 when 20 wickets fell on the first day and no one else got past 28.

He received the plaudits with typical modesty. "In some ways, when everyone else is getting out, it frees you up a bit, because nobody can complain if you get out too," he said.

"And you know me, I always play in the same boring way. My mindset never changes."

Benkenstein had played in 23 one-day internationals but, at 30, he knew that a Test career had passed him by when he joined Durham in 2005.

He arrived in the same year as Mike Hussey, which was quite fortuitous as the Australian had signed a two-year contract as captain but became a Test regular the following winter.

It meant Benkenstein had a season to become fully acclimatised before taking over as captain, a role he had fulfilled for eight years with Natal, during which he won several trophies.

When he led Durham to the championship in 2008 he jokingly said: "To me this feels quite normal, but for the fans and the management it's the ultimate. There are a few counties who have never won it. Since I've been here we've always been moving forward. We have changed the mental approach so that from ball one this season we have been saying we could win every competition and everyone believed it."

They lost in the semi-finals of the Friends Provident and the Twenty20 Cup that year, but Benkenstein feels the current team has the best balance of any Durham side he has played in.

"In 2008 Steve Harmison was at the top of his game and taking loads of wickets," he said. "Now he's struggling a bit to get on the field, but there's lots of depth in the bowling and plenty of variety, especially with having a leg-spinner in Scott Borthwick."

Having to carry the label of "Kolpak signing" was a small price to pay for Benkenstein for the opportunity to live and play in Durham.

Although the county's ethos had always been to give local talent a chance, they had suffered heavily at the hands of other counties who had gone down the Kolpak route.

Benkenstein said: "I realised it would give me an opportunity to do something I'd always wanted to try. I got in touch with an agency who fixed me up with a second team game for Durham. I was fortunate enough to score a hundred, they were keen and so was I."

He signed a three-year contract, which has twice been extended. But he gave up the captaincy after the 2008 season, hoping to devote a little more time to his wife Jackie, a former South Africa hockey international, and their three children.

Benkenstein's father, Martin, had played for Rhodesia but they left when it became Zimbabwe, when Dale was aged six.

"Most of the top players in South Africa have come up through a very strong school system," he said. "I learnt the game at Michaelhouse School then played for Durban High School Old Boys and Natal, where we had Malcolm Marshall as the professional for two years when I first started. He was great for me at that stage. He had an incredible mind for the game."

Doubtless similar accolades will be heaped on Benkenstein, and not just from Paul Collingwood.