FORMER aggressive pace bowler Phil DeFreitas will be the guest speaker at the Herefordshire Cricket Society meeting at Hereford Rowing Club on Thursday, October 24.

DeFreitas was a former England player who made his test debut against Australia in 1986.

Over a nine-year period, he made 44 test appearances taking 140 wickets. The bowler’s two best test series performances were in 1991 against West Indies when he took 22 wickets and against New Zealand in 1994 when he took 21 wickets.

As a child DeFreitas grew up in London and had football trials at Luton Town and despite being offered an apprenticeship decided to focus on playing cricket.

DeFreitas made his first-class debut against Leicestershire in 1985 before going on to play for Lancashire, Boland, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, before retiring in 2005.

In total DeFreitas made 372 first-class appearances scoring over 10,000 runs and taking1,248 wickets.

The start will be 7.15pm for 7.30pm and cost is £5 for non-members at the door.

For more information contact Ken Sharpe on ken.sharpe@btinternet.com.

Former England cricket captain Mike Brearley was the guest of the Herefordshire Cricket Society recently.

Brearley played 39 tests and is probably best remembered leading England to win the 'Botham Ashes' in 1981.

He was also given a look around the offices of the Little Princess Trust as Cricket Society Chairman, Tim Lowe is a co-founder and trustee of the charity.