Director of Cricket Geoff Cook said, “Phil stepped up for us at a difficult time last season and did an outstanding job, especially in the LV= County Championship. During the one day and t20 Phil had a huge responsibility on his shoulders, captaining, opening the batting and being behind the stumps and it’s challenging to do each role effectively. To give Phil some respite Dale will take on the responsibilities for limited overs cricket which will allow Phil to continue to learn and give the side a new emphasis. The team is determined to show an improved performance in one day cricket.”
Phil Mustard added, “The Durham captaincy means a lot to me, I really enjoy leading the side and I want to do it for years to come. This set up will give me the opportunity to learn from Dale and develop my skills in the limited over format, which can only benefit me, the team and the club in the long run.”
Dale Benkenstein commented, “I’m incredibly proud to be a part of Durham CCC and our achievements in the last few years. It’s an exciting opportunity to work alongside Phil to get us back where we belong, competing effectively in every format of the game. I think Phil did a great job in difficult circumstances last year and I’m pleased to be able to take some of the strain off him in the shorter formats of the game so he can focus on continuing his development as a player and captain.”