Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

Turf Accountants, going concern off the Edgware Road. If you like figures, and good ones, now is your chance. 1 tape, a phone, and 2 blondes. I expect a partner, and you. Eh? Is it on? We open Friday, 7th. You had better phone me or come here before 11 o’clock any morning. Have sent the photos to Gilbert J. 72 They are jolly fine. Yes, he was the best ever. My very finest bowling performance was against him at Edgbaston. I bowled two maiden overs at him and then Frank Field knocked his castle over. Can you type, or do you know someone who does? If I go to Australia I think the office will be ok, with Jackie Dane, Music Hall comedian and Reg Seabright, the great amateur boxer. I shall want a good typist. Yours ever Frank Among other things, it seems he was thinking of setting up a bookmaking business, despite being an undischarged bankrupt, even though he was about to travel to Australia to report on the Test series. There is no detail about Norman’s response to this. The letters quoted above show evidence of a sad and confused individual, but the saddest happening of 1946 will be seen in a terse entry in the committee minutes of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, dated 22 October 1946: ‘It was reluctantly decided that in view of his disgraceful conduct on several occasions during the past season, notably towards amateur players and members of the catering staff, that F.R.Foster be refused admission to the ground in future.’ What a thing to happen to a former captain and playing hero: unfortunately I have found it very hard to obtain further information. Although I never asked specifically about this matter, Leslie Deakins, the splendid and long-serving County Club secretary seemed reluctant to speak about Foster in the years long before I decided to write this biography, though he did once say that ‘he was a sad case’. Perhaps Leslie was simply too nice a chap with regard to such things. What can be said is that Frank Foster’s great-nephew Nigel Foster is aware of at least one incident during the season, details of which were passed to him by amateur allrounder Jack Marshall. Apparently Foster, in drink taken, thought he was captaining the side and started to hand out orders even, possibly, attempting to take the field. Jeanne Dollery, widow of Tom Dollery, did not recall this but was aware of some sort of incident between Foster and professional allrounder Bill Fantham during the 1946 season. All involved with the running of Warwicks cricket in 1946 are now dead and since nothing was published at the time it seems most unlikely the proper story will see light of day. It is doubtful Foster ever again visited Edgbaston and The cloudy days of autumn and of winter 109 72 Almost certainly the old Gloucestershire and England player, G.L.Jessop.