 Born in Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire, Bowles made his first-class debut for that county in late July 1911 against Nottinghamshire, and took two wickets, his first being that of Notts' opener George Gunn.He played another two matches in 1911, but had little success, taking only one more wicket.For the next three seasons he played only occasionally, and the same was the case when cricket resumed after the First World War in 1919; never did he play more than four games in a summer, and never did he take more than six wickets.