He led Canterbury to victory in New Zealand's inaugural one-day competition in 1971–72, when he won the Man of the Match award in both the semi-final and the final.
[2] It was his first match as captain, and he was the only player to score a double century on his captaincy debut until the feat was equalled by Shivnarine Chanderpaul against South Africa in 2005.
[5] On the tour to the West Indies in 1971–72 he suffered a back injury and had to return home after the Second Test.
Dowling was a partner in an accounting firm, which enabled him to arrange his work around his absences playing cricket.
In the 1987 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to cricket.