Brian in the wickets for England

The 73-year-old played in both games as England saw off the old enemy 2-0 in an over-70s Ashes battle.

“I’m pleased to have been selected to play against Australia and delighted with the outcome of the 2-0 win,” said Broad Oak-based Scollay.

“I’m disappointed not to have been able to have played the third game (which was rained-off without a ball bowled) and had the chance to make it 3-0, but we look forward to a return series against a great team of sportsmen.”

In the first of the 50-over clashes on August 15, England posted 164-8 batting first at Hursley Park Cricket Club in Winchester. Scollay faced six deliveries before being dismissed lbw for a duck.

Australia’s chase was going poorly with the tourists struggling on 61-9. The Aussies have had a liking for last wicket partnerships this summer, though, and another developed here.

Scollay then took the ball and ended the Australian hopes by trapping top-scorer Des Lloyd (31) lbw - the ninth such dismissal of the match and sixth of the innings - to leave the opposition all out for 100. Scollay’s figures were 1-6 off of 1.4 overs.

In the second game three days later at Three Bridges CC in Crawley, Scollay was the pick of the England bowlers with 2-52 off 10 overs as Australia found some form with the bat to reach 235-7.

England chased down the target in 46.4 overs (20 balls to spare), however, for the loss of just two wickets. Although Scollay wasn’t required to bat, Bexhill-based cricketer John Anderson made 67 at the top of the order and shared an opening partnership of 147.

England’s hopes of a 3-0 whitewash were dashed when the third match at Sunbury-on-Thames was abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled.

Scollay is a left-arm seam bowler with deceptive pace and is the captain of the Sussex side which has won the Spitfire National 70+ County Championships for the last few years. Sussex are on course for another victory this summer having won seven of their eight matches so far with four more remaining.

As well as playing for the Sussex Seniors, Scollay has also featured for Battle, Westfield, Hastings Civil Service and some Hastings representative sides. It’s on record that he has completed ‘the double’ of scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets in the same season on three occasions.