Benny believes BPL experience could boost international chances
29 December 2016
Benny Howell hopes his recent spell in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is just the start of his overseas T20 adventures.
After starting the competition on the sidelines, the allrounder became a mainstay of the Khulna Titans franchise, playing a key role in their last five matches.
And Benny believes that proving himself in T20 leagues around the world can provide a stepping stone to achieving his dream of playing for England.
He said: “I think competitions like the BPL are probably my best chance of getting to the next level. I can only see the BPL growing and if I can get the chance to play in other leagues as well then hopefully they can be a platform to international cricket.”
Benny – who was leading wicket-taker in the 2016 NatWest T20 Blast – took five wickets at 21 for the Titans, including the prized scalp of Pakistani legend Shahid “Boom Boom” Afridi. He also averaged 19 with the bat.
The team was coached by former Australia international Stuart Law and was put together using the “moneyball” approach made famous in baseball, where players are selected based on statistics.
The squad included Bangladesh internationals Mahmudullah and Suvagata Hom as well as overseas players Junaid Khan (Pakistan), Nicholas Pooran (West Indies) and Howell’s fellow county cricketer Rikki Wessels (Northants).
Other players involved in the BPL included Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakarra, West Indies' Marlon Samuels and former Gloucestershire allrounder James Franklin.
The Titans finished second in the league stage but were knocked out in the semi-finals.
Thank you @khulnatitans for an experience I will never forget in #BPL2016 Love the passion for cricket here... I may see you soon #BPL2017 pic.twitter.com/zMxkwQJLot
— Benny Howell (@BennyHowell510) December 8, 2016
It was the first year of the competition and it proved hugely successful with crowds of over 40,000 for Friday night and weekend matches.
And Benny says he learned a lot from the experience.
He said: “It was a big learning curve both on and off the pitch. The biggest challenge initially was trying to stay focused when I wasn’t in the team. I decided to keep my head down and be professional and it paid off because the coaches told me they rated my attitude and I got my chance in the end.
“Because of the security issues we weren’t allowed outside the hotel apart from for training or matches so we had a lot of time on our hands which was tough. The other overseas players were in the same boat and we all got on well so it wasn’t too bad.”
To watch Benny in action v Dhaka Dynamites click below
Benny says that the opportunity to rub shoulders with players who are used to the spinning wickets often found in Asia helped him to adapt his game to the conditions.
He said: “Batting-wise a lot of players used lighter bats so it is easier to adjust your shot late on which is something I hadn’t come across before but worked well. I had always thought that using a heavy bat was the best way against spin so you can clear the fence.
“Bowling-wise I didn’t change too much as I didn’t have too many games to experiment. I used quite a lot of knuckle balls and variations which grip well on the surfaces there. Now I am back I want to work on a quicker yorker for next season as I think that is a key weapon wherever you are playing.”
Away from the cricket, Benny found a number of cultural differences between Bristol and Bangladesh.
These included being woken at 5am every morning by the call to prayer, eating curry for breakfast and in one match, having to pad up early because the next two batsmen had to fulfil their prayer commitments before going in.
Benny also discovered what it is like to be a sporting celebrity.
He said: “The Bangladeshi people are so passionate about their cricket it is unbelievable. Every hotel or shop you went to people wanted to talk to you and have selfies. I probably took more selfies in six weeks than I had in my entire life!
“During matches the crowd were so noisy you couldn’t hear anything else. It was amazing to be part of but definitely took some getting used to.”
Now back in Bristol, Benny is looking forward to the 2017 season with Gloucestershire and hopes to establish himself in all three formats.
He also hopes to return to the BPL next Autumn and hopes to build on his experiences by earning the chance to take part in other T20 leagues around the world.
