he did not get another chance until 1989-90, ten years after his international debut. Ironically this opportunity was created by rival batters being suspended due to a further rebel tour. Initially he was recalled for the Nehru Cup of 1989-90. In his second game back he played his best international innings and only international century, in a one day international victory over Allan Border's Australia, in the process winning the man of the match award. Wisden observed that Larkins' "strokeplay" on this occasion was "both powerful and subtle. His previous highest in a one-day international was 34 in 1979-80: now he dominated an opening stand of 185 with Gooch, hit two sixes and nineteen fours in his 124, and justified his recall to the England team after an absence of eight years". In his first Test match back, eight and a half years since his last Test, against the West Indies he opened alongside Gooch and to Larkins fell the honour of scoring the winning run as England beat the West Indies in a Test match for the first time in sixteen years. Larkins also toured Australia and New Zealand the following winter again under Gooch's captaincy, but enjoyed limited success and never again finished on the winning side in a Test match. In all Larkins appeared in thirteen Test matches for England, scoring three fifties, and in twenty five ODIs, where he made one century. Legacy Although a talented player, Larkins is considered as something of an underachiever at the top level. County bowlers such as Jonathan Agnew spoke of being "Nedded" when he performed well against them. The cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, opined, "Larkins was usually ignored when he should have been selected and selected when he should have been ignored in a career of unfulfilled potential. A destructive opening bat who could demolish any attack if he got going, 'Ned' tired of waiting for England and joined the 1982 rebel tour to South Africa". Football Outside cricket, he was a keen footballer. In his youth, he had been on the books of Notts County. He also played non-league football for Wolverton Town, Wellingborough Town and Buckingham Town, although he missed part of the 1985 season after gashing his leg during a match. Mortgage controversy In October 2006, Larkins pleaded guilty to attempting to illegally obtain a mortgage secured against the house of his girlfriend's sick father. With