He played both sports extensively at domestic level, making over 400 appearances in first-class cricket, predominantly for Hampshire, where as a mostly opening batsman he made over 21,000 runs.
In football, he played as an outside left for Oxford City, Southampton and Fulham, making over 300 professional appearances and scoring over 100 goals.
[2] He scored 650 runs for Oxfordshire during the season, at an average of 52.75, helping them to secure their first Minor Counties Championship title with an important innings of 62 not out against Buckinghamshire.
[3] Arnold made 23 appearances in the 1931 County Championship, predominantly as an attacking opening batsman alongside George Brown.
[7] The selection of both Arnold and Bakewell was necessitated by the retirement of Jack Hobbs the previous season, coupled with an injury to Herbert Sutcliffe.
[3] His continued good form into 1935 led to his consideration for Test selection against South Africa that summer, though Arnold was ultimately overlooked,[10] despite making 1,713 runs at an average of 31.14 across the season.
[3] Despite him missing Hampshire's opening two fixtures through a foot injury,[12] the decision to re-engage Arnold proved to be a good one.
[3] Considered by Harry Altham, John Arlott and Desmond Eagar to have been "the county's outstanding player of the 1930s",[7] he was by nature an attacking batsman.
[3] Arnold was noted by Wisden to have been a fine off driver and hooker, who was particularly effective with his aggressive batting against off spinners and inswinging bowlers.
[5] Following his retirement from playing, Arnold stood as an umpire in a first-class match between Hampshire and Oxford University in 1951.
[17] Ten-years later he was added to the first-class umpires list, being joined by former cricketer and footballer Jim Hammond.
[21] He began his career at Oxford City in the Isthmian League,[21] but signed for Southampton in 1928 as he had to be resident in Hampshire in order to qualify to play cricket for the county.
[22] Arnold married Gladys Collins, the niece of the Leeds United footballer Ernie Hart, at Southampton in February 1939.