At 39, he was called up for two Test matches against South Africa in 1929, and the following winter he toured New Zealand and Australia with Harold Gilligan's Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team, playing in three of the four Test matches against New Zealand.

Against Gloucestershire at Hove in 1929, he hit an undefeated 280 in a day and shared a first-wicket partnership of 368 with Jim Parks senior.

He beat that Sussex record himself four years later when, with John Langridge, he put on 490 runs.

In this partnership, against Middlesex at Hove, Bowley made his highest score, 283.

[1][2] Bowley was also a useful leg-spin bowler, regularly taking around 50 wickets a season.