Although Benjamin, 25, had only played one senior T20 for the Birmingham Bears, he made news when he was selected as a substitute player during the 2021 Hundred. After helping Birmingham Phoenix over the finish line with 24 balls and 15 runs, he went on to play a significant role in the first three seasons of the competition.
While Benjamin made 10 appearances for the county and averaged 22.23 in the lengthier format, he also struck a century in his first-class debut for Warwickshire.
His arrival will increase Kent’s options when it comes to wicketkeeping, since Sam Billings has signed a white-ball deal while Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox have also gone during the past two seasons. Harry Finch has been the team’s keeper in the Championship cricket this summer.
“We’re thrilled to have brought a player of Chris’ caliber to Kent on a long-term deal,” stated Simon Cook, director of cricket at Kent.
Benjamin was born in South Africa, but since relocating to study in 2018, he has played in the UK and is a British passport holder through his father.
“I’m excited to be joining Kent and having the opportunity to play regularly across multiple formats,” Benjamin stated. “This is a young team that will only get better with time, and Kent has a well-defined plan to build on their current success and reach new heights in the future.
They also placed eighth in Group A of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and last in the South Group of the Vitality Blast.
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