Full name Bennett Alfred King

Born December 19, 1964, Mossman, Queensland

Current age 44 years 202 days

Major teams Northern Suburbs

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Other Coach

Bennett King was was selected in the Queensland Under-19 team for the National Championships in 1982-83. He moved from Gympie to Brisbane and played club cricket for Norths in 24 first-grade matches. King was also a promising rugby league player for Valleys in Brisbane and was invited to join the Gold Coast Giants in the national rugby league competition, but his career was ended by injury. A physical education teacher, he decided to use his training methods for cricket and accepted a position as a development officer with Queensland Cricket.

The departure of John Buchanan to take up the vacant position of Australia coach provided Queensland Cricket with an opportunity to promote King. In his first season as the Queensland coach in 1999-2000, the team won the Pura Milk Cup, and King again guided them to victory in the following two years before accepting the head coaching role at the Australian cricket academy. Tipped to follow Roger Harper as West Indies coach in 2003, King decided against the move but accepted the offer when Gus Logie resigned a year later. It was a difficult time for him, with West Indies in decline and many in the Caribbean unhappy with an outsider coaching them, and that antagonism was made worse as he brought in Australian assistants. It was little surprise when he stepped down after the side's disappointing World Cup campaign in 2007.
Cricinfo staff April 2007

Queensland Coach 1999-2000 to 2001-02
Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy Head Coach Mar 2002 to Oct 2004
West Indies coach Oct 2004 to 2007

Feb 16, 2007

Marlon Samuels with Bennett King at practice

© Getty Images

Jan 29, 2007

Shivnarine Chanderpaul gets some tips from Bennett King

© AFP

Oct 31, 2006

Marlon Samuels and Bennett King during practice

© Getty Images

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