Benning played for the minor county team, Buckinghamshire, in 2001, in one Under-19 "Test" for England in 2002 and joined Surrey in 2003.
Benning won the NBC Denis Compton Award for young players in 2003.
James, who used to attend Caterham School, shared in a one-day world record 496-4 (with Surrey) in 2007.
He and Ali Brown, also a former Caterham School pupil, put on 296 opening for Surrey, with Benning going on to make 152.
He finished the 2005/06 domestic one day campaign with the highest average of any county player.