HAMPSHIRE captain Will Smith paid tribute to Dale Benkenstein after his career-best 210 boosted his side’s chances of another Specsavers County Championship Great Escape.

Victory against Lancashire tomorrow would take Hampshire above Nottinghamshire at the foot of the first division in their first first-class match since Dale Benkenstein’s sudden decision to resign as first-team coach and return to South Africa for family reasons.

“Benky’s a very proud man, someone I’ve known for a long time and done amazing things for my career and every club he’s been at,” said Smith of his former Durham teammate.

“To not have him around is a blow, but I think he’d reached a point where he’d had so many years of playing county cricket that to then go straight into coaching. . . he tries to maintain a positive outlook for everyone but it gets to the point where at some stage it’s going to take a toll.

“He’s only human, not superhuman - although it sometimes appeared that way when he played - so it’s a blow not to have him.

“Everything we do now is from the base that he has created over the last two-and-a-half years.”

Smith made 99 on day one against Hampshire before reaching the second double hundred of his career on the day that Michael Carberry was undergoing an operation on a cancerous tumour.

“Any positive moments are built around what he [Benkenstein] believed in and equally Carbs, who we’re missing for a different reason.

“He’s constantly in our thoughts.”

As a family man, Smith can empathise easily with Benkenstein, who was in his third season at The Ageas Bowl.

“As a county cricketer that’s your lot. Family takes a back seat and sometimes they put up with more than they should so.

“Family will always come first and Benky will always be close to us in our thoughts.

“He’ll be watching the scores and hopefully we can put a few wins together for him.”

In the meantime, former England bowler Craig White has stepped up from the role of bowling coach.

“He’s a great man to have around in any capacity and in him, Giles White, Charlie Freeston and Tony Middleton we still have a great coaching group,” added Smith, who was relieved to make his first century for two years after being dropped on 70 – never mind the highest score of his career.

“I thought that was it, I thought I was gone!” he laughed.

“He’s usually got a very safe pair of hands but that’s cricket.

“When it goes your way you have to make sure you do everything you can to cash in.”

Smith’s 210 was also the longest innings of his career. It came from 59 more deliveries and lasted 90 minutes longer than his previous career-best score, a match-winning 201 not out against Surrey at Guildford in July 2008.

“When you bat a long period of time you enter a zone where you feel you’re not going to get out,” he explained.

“It’s very rare I get there but in that game at Guildford and today, and a couple of other occasions, I have.

“So I remember those occasions very clearly but would like a few more!”

Smith’s last hundred was against Kent at The Ageas Bowl in September 2014.

“I’m always trying to maintain a high standard so to go for so long without a hundred was pretty galling,” he admitted.

“I got two in my first year here but none last year and was annoyed at that. I feel I’ve contributed this year without kicking on.” Until now.