It was in the summer of 1980 that a lanky fast bowler just out of his teens made his Minor Counties Championship debut for Oxfordshire.

Now a remarkable and eventful 28 years later, Keith Arnold is still winging the ball down for the county - not quite as fast, but equally effectively.

This Sunday, the 48-year-old bowler, who is a legend in the non first-class scene, makes his 200th Championship appearance for Oxfordshire - and he's in sight of a county record.

When he takes to the field against Devon - coincidentally the same opponents as when he made his debut those many years ago - at Banbury on Sunday, 'Arnie, as he is universally known, needs just another 11 victims to become Oxon's all-time leading wicket-taker.

His tally of 660 just trails the figure set by another seam bowler David Laitt, whose tally of 670 between 1952 to 1972 came in only 140 games.

In the latter half of his career, in which he has dismissed some of the world's greatest batsmen and played against every Test-playing nation, Arnold has often shouldered the Oxon attack on his own.

You would have thought to have kept fit for all those years, he would have spent many hours in the gym. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"I'm not one to go to the gym - I hate it," he said. "I keep fit by riding horses.

"My passion in the winter is fox-hunting," said Arnold, who although born in Solihull, was brought up in Chipping Norton.

"I've followed hunting all my life, whether it was on a bike or by car or on foot. So then I had to get on a horse.

"I didn't start riding until I was about 30, but it does keep you fit."

Arnold owns five horses, which he keeps on his mother-in-law's farm at Bishops Itchington, near Banbury.

However, riding can have it's dangers.

"I got trampled on once and also suffered a nasty injury after I came down on the wrong part of a saddle," he admitted ruefully.

"It was excruciating as I broke the pelvic bone.

"I've played through a lot of hamstring injuries over the last ten to 15 years.

"I've done yoga for several years, while general working on a farm also keeps you fit," said Arnold, who has been a sales manager for Lloyds TSB since leaving school.

Arnold was first noticed by his school PE teacher, Peter Bradbury, an Oxfordshire off-spinner, who recommended him to his own club North Oxford.

"Brad was brilliant, very enthusiastic and inspirational," he said. "The deal was that he would take me to North Oxford, so I could get into the Oxfordshire Colts side.

"In those days, it depended on which club you played for if you were to get in the colts set-up."

The youngster soon made his mark in a powerful North Oxford side that included other well-known names such as Roger Busby, Alan Crossley, Graham Hobbins and Chris Clements.

After one season in the county colts side, Arnold was ready to make his full debut in 1980, which was a year after Margaret Thatcher came to power and 12 months before Ian Botham's historic feats against the Australians.

"I remember my first wicket against Devon - Tolchard caught at slip," he said.

Charging in from a long run which preceded an athletic and classical action, he was a fearsome sight for batsmen.

By now playing for Banbury Twenty Club, near his home, Arnold was an obvious pick for the Minor Counties representative side, and the newly formed England Amateur XI.

He said: "One record I think I have is that I've played against every Test-playing nation, in a competitive match - even Bangladesh."

He took 5-53 in a first-class match against Zimbabwe. Graeme Hick was one of his victims. "That shows how long ago it was," he quipped.

"I remember Viv Richards nodding when I bowled a good delivery to him.

"He'd got a 100-plus for Glamorgan against Oxfordshire in the NatWest Trophy and kept hitting poor Sean Joyner out into the sea.

"I've had Brian Lara out twice in a match and Richie Richardson caught behind for nought."

So why didn't such a talent make it in the first-class game.

"At 6ft and 12 stone, I was probably too small to be a fast bowler in those days." he said.

"As a teenager, I went for a week's trials with Gloucestershire. I got hit on my foot first day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston and broke a bone. That was the end of that.

"Of course at the time, I would loved to have turned pro, but looking back I've been very lucky."

At the height of his club career, Arnold left the Oxfordshire club scene to play for Walsall in the Birmingham League for eight years.

"Playing in the Birmingham League was a step I needed to make," he explained.

"At that time, it was one of the top three leagues in the country. You had good competitive matches every week, unlike the Cherwell.

"Too many cricketers in Oxfordshire are not playing a high enough standard.

"They are not prepared to test themselves or to go to the level above. If they fail, they fail, but at least they've given it a go.

"If you haven't given it a go, you'll never know.

"I may have got expenses in the Birmingham League, but that wasn't the reason I went there. I wanted to play at the best level I could play at."

Although charming company off the field, Arnie has been known to be a fiery competitor on it.

"Having an altercation with the Shropshire wicket-keeper once led to a two-match ban - and quite rightly so," he admitted.

"I was well out of order. I have always been fiery, I was a quick bowler. You've got to have a bit of fire. I still want to win.

"My language at times has not been good. My mother would not be proud of me."

The highlight of Arnold's Oxfordshire career came against Herefordshire at Thame in 2000, when he took 9-19 in an innings and 16 wickets in the match.

"I'm totally committed to Oxfordshire," said Arnold, who captained the side for three years.

As for the record, Arnold said: "I've heard a lot about David Laitt, he must have been a fantastic bowler. I'd love to have seen him bowl.

"Of course, it would mean a lot to beat his record. There's pride, I suppose in wanting to leave a mark.

"I'd love to have the record, but I'd rather Oxfordshire win the championship or knockout cup."

The county have won the championship twice in those 28 years - in 1982 and 1989 - but Arnold is still angry about last year's semi-final in the MCCA Trophy, when Oxon lost a rain-affected against Suffolk.

"It was complete incompetence by the officials," he said. "The game's on, the game's off, the game's on.

"In the end it was a farce. It's very disappointing to get that far and for it to be decided basically on the toss of a coin."

Arnold has not yet contemplated life beyond cricket.

"I've not taken my coaching badges, but it's something I might do," he said.

"I like to get on and do things, so I'm likely to do more riding or help on the farm."

How much longer, can he go on playing for Oxfordshire?

"As long as I generally get my place on merit, then I'll carry on," he said.

"I don't want to be tapped on the shoulder and told: 'Arnie I think it's time we took you to the knacker's yard'."

Yet another reference to horses.

But Arnie has no intention of riding off into the sunset just yet!