North Bersted man's cricket fame claim

Tony Frogley still has the mounted cricket ball given in honour of his achievement in taking ten wickets in two matches three weeks apart.

His pride about the clean sweeps of the opposition remains even though the games were more than 60 years ago. But he didn’t think much of the events when they occurred.

“I just took it as another part of my life,” he said.

“It was another thing that happened to me.

“And I reckon I could still send a cricket ball down a wicket. You never forget the action.”

Mr Frogley, 88, of Sun Park Close, took his first double figure haul of wickets on May 14, 1949, for his home side of Pulborough Cricket Club against Windsor Victoria.

He followed this on June 5 against Amberley. He conceded 12 runs in both games which ended in victories for his team.

The outstanding successes were the result of unending practice with a tennis ball.

“I used to get two matches and place a match box on top of them and bowl the ball at that time after time,” he explained.

Mr Frogley’s achievements came after he had rejected the chance of playing cricket for Sussex to join the police. He patrolled the streets for more than 30 years.