Basil D'Oliveira was a South African who was classified as a Cape Coloured by the apartheid regime and consequently was ineligible to play first-class cricket. He wrote to Arlott in the late 1950s, after hearing his radio commentaries, because "his voice and the words he spoke convinced me he was a nice, compassionate man". He wanted help to find an opportunity to play professional cricket in England and Arlott finally got him a summer contract with Middleton Cricket Club in the Central Lancashire Cricket League in 1960. Arlott subsequently said that this was the achievement in his career of which he felt most proud. After topping the Central Lancashire League batting averages in his very first season he subsequently graduated to the first-class county circuit with Worcestershire in 1964. D'Oliveira acquired British nationality the following year and was selected to play for England, making his Test debut against the West Indies at Lord's in June 1966.