Former captain Phil Garner led the plaudits for Keith Arnold after he broke Oxfordshire’s Minor Counties Championship wickets record.

Arnold’s four dismissals against Wiltshire on day one of their match at Trowbridge took him to 672 and beyond David Laitt’s mark of 670.

‘Arnie’ then added another victim in Wiltshire’s second innings, before tha match finished in a draw.

Garner (below), who was captain when Arnie made his Oxon debut in 1980, said: “It is fully deserved.

“For Arnie it is just an outstanding achievement. I’m really happy for him.

“David Laitt was a hero of mine when I started playing and I know how good a bowler he was.

“I remember Keith Arnold as a young man coming into the team. I realised as soon as I saw him that he was potentially a great bowler.”

Although 49-year-old Arnold is now a medium pacer, it was his speed that got him noticed in his early days playing for Oxfordshire.

Garner said: “Arnie, despite being so slight in build, has amazing rhythm – the best I have seen.

“At his peak, he generated extreme pace. Arnie had people scared of him.

“I remember one time we went down to Cornwalll when helmets had just come in.

“We had them, but the Cornwall players didn’t.

“They asked me if they could borrow our helmets.

“Once you know the opposition are saying that, you have them running scared.

“Shaun Graf, a bowler, who had played for Australia, was in that Cornwall team.

“Arnie was quicker and meaner than him.

“I have never seen anybody deliver the ball so close to the stumps, which is why he has got so many lbws.”

Laitt reached his 670 wickets in 140 matches, while Arnold took 203.

Garner said: “Laitty was quite a gentle pace. He swung the ball a lot and when it wasn’t swinging, he bowled genuine leg cutters.

“Laitty took his wickets when the wickets were wet. Laitty on wet wickets was almost unplayable.”

Simon Porter, another Oxon captain to have played with both men, said: “Keith is an outstanding bowler, both to manage it and to have lasted so long.

“He has been bad-tempered from time to time, but he has been a brilliant player for Oxfordshire.

“Laitt was was an exceptionally good bowler and both he and Arnie should have played first-class cricket.”

Beginning his career with Chipping Norton, Arnold went on to playfor North Oxf-ord, Banbury Twenty, Walsall before going back to Banbury Twenty.

Graham Beacham, from Chipping Norton, emailed the Oxford Mail with his congratulations.

He said: “I reckon if Banbury Twenty, Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire over 50s have their way, Keith could be bowling for a good many years.

“Well Done Keith. Keep going as long as you enjoy it, and the body holds up.”