Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

in love, and wanted to marry her, so was giving up county cricket to devote himself to the hosiery trade. The committee was stunned, his father dismayed, county secretary R.V.Ryder typically pragmatic. He reckoned that whereas persuasion might fail, money could talk. After all Frank Foster was ‘nearly’ a Yorkshireman. Ryder was correct in his surmise. Dangling a £400 cheque he inveigled Frank into agreeing to sign as a professional for 1910. Old father William was appalled; no son of his was going to be a professional cricketer. He got together with C.S.Riddell and came to an agreement that Frank would play full-time for the county, returning to Wilkinson and Riddell off season all for an annual salary of £500. The deal was settled in Cabbie Williams’ hansom taking Riddell to his fine house in Homer Road, Solihull. Actually before long the original reason for Foster’s wishing to retire became invalid. The girl jilted him! Otherwise Frank would be starting the 1910 season in good order, his immediate financial future assured, and plenty more fish in the sea for a handsome young sportsman. Another problem was solved for Warwicks when Harold Goodwin, son of the county treasurer, Cambridge Blue and estimable allrounder, offered himself as captain, though pointing out he would not always be free to play. The committee decided they would use other amateurs when Goodwin felt unable to turn out; this slapdash way of doing things meant that, for three matches, Frank Foster was given the chance to see how he made out, so Goodwin’s lack of commitment had its upside. The 1910 season started miserably, with a two-day innings defeat away to Surrey. Foster took two wickets but swatted around inconclusively for 16 in each innings. The next game, with Lancashire, was cancelled due to the King’s death, a strange decision since he could hardly be brought back to life, while a few hours watching Quaife, Kinneir and Baker putting bat to ball, or not, could have put spectators in a suitably sombre frame of mind. Normality restored, Warwicks went to New Road, Fred Bowley scored 118 on the first morning and he and Fred Pearson took the opening stand to 249 by 3 o’clock. Worcestershire reached 441 and still managed to get 30 minutes at the visitors. Foster’s bowling stood out among the wreckage; in 24 overs, more than anyone else, he took five for 95. Skipper Goodwin sportingly brought himself on against the tail and took the last two for 19 in 6.4 overs. Fortunately rain gave Warwicks a draw. Northamptonshire at Edgbaston was limited to two days owing to the funeral of the King. Foster took seven cheap wickets but what with bad weather and funerals there was insufficient time to get a result. Poor weather, indifferent play and the lack of a regular captain saw Warwicks end May without even the sniff of a victory but Foster had bowled superbly, taking at least two wickets in every innings. His six for 58 against Sussex at Leamington, with little support, was an outstanding performance and deserved more than a draw. Three more ‘five-fors’ in June confirmed his bowling improvement but not until the end of the month did he register his first half-century. There was a ‘match and a half’ against Derbyshire at Blackwell Colliery. Derbyshire began day three needing nearly 200 to avoid an innings defeat. Assuming the match was as good as over the visiting pros went on a drinking spree – Young cricketer making his way 28