EXCLUSIVE Dale Benkenstein set to replace Glen Chapple as Lancashire coach after former England boss Chris Silverwood snubbed Old Trafford role

• Dale Benkestein will take over as Lancashire coach next season 
• He will replace Glen Chapple, who stepped down after seven years in the role
• Ex-England coach Chris Silverwood was among the candidates for the role 

Lancashire will charge Dale Benkenstein with the task of bringing the glory days back to Old Trafford by appointing him their new coach.

The South African will swap Gloucestershire for Lancashire when he is named as successor to Glen Chapple, who stepped down at the end of last season after seven years as coach and a 33-year association with the club.

Mail Sport understands former England coach Chris Silverwood, currently with Sri Lanka, and Ryan Campbell, who has just led Durham to promotion to the first division of the County Championship, were approached for the role but preferred to stay where they were.

That led Lancashire to the experienced Benkenstein, Durham captain when they won the title in 2008 and Hampshire coach before taking on the same job at Nevil Road.

Benkenstein, 49, who had a spell as Lancashire batting coach in 2021, is a highly regarded figure within the game with a reputation as a coach who improves young players.

Dale Benkenstein is set to be appointed as Lancashire’s new head coach 

Former England coach Chris Silverwood was approached for the role, but opted to remain in his current position with Sri Lanka instead

But Lancashire supporters might point to Gloucestershire’s poor red-ball record last season – they didn’t win a single division two game – as a worrying portent for their hopes of landing their first Championship title since 2011.

Lancashire pulled off the ambitious signing of Australian spinner Nathan Lyon for the whole of the 2024 season with a view to making up for the under-achievement of finishing fifth last season when they were strongly tipped to win the title.

And they would have made another big statement had they been able to recruit Silverwood, who won the title with Essex in 2017 before becoming England coach, or Campbell, who made a huge impression on a successful Durham side in his first season.

There was also support among members for bringing back former Lancashire captain Stuart Law, currently coaching Bangladesh Under 19s, to Old Trafford.

But Mail Sport understands it is Benkenstein, whose son Luke plays for Essex and England Under 19s, who will be announced by Lancashire in the coming days.

Source: Read Full Article