Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

No poetry prizes, but from the heart. Whether Foster saw these words before the last match is impossible to say, nor would one know whether he took the comments on board, but whatever their pertinence to the situation, he had a title to win. And this he did! The day after the Northamptonshire match, The Birmingham Post described the game and the team’s arrival in Birmingham. It also had its man 40 at the Grand Hotel reception: ‘Thousands of people had assembled along the route, especially at the corner of Worcester Street and Corporation Street and outside the Grand Hotel the players came in for great cheering.’ At the reception Foster responded with the captain’s reply: On rising Mr Foster met with a hearty greeting. He said he felt that day was the greatest of his life and he thanked all present for the kind reception given the team. He felt it a great honour to be captain of a championship team like that and he could safely say they had done all that could have been wished of them. They had been triers and sportsmen all through. They had done everything they possibly could to help him, and he thanked them most sincerely. If there was a member of the team who deserved special mention, that was Frank Field. He was sure they would agree his bowling had been a feature of the season and had contributed greatly to the success achieved. William Quaife, as they all knew was one of the greatest men Warwickshire ever had. During the season when the team was in a hole, who pulled them out? Quaife. No mistake, he had been the mainstay of the team throughout the season. He had been magnificent – not only his batting and his bowling, but his fielding had been splendid. Having expressed regret at the absence of Kinneir, Mr Foster referred to the approaching visit to Australia and wished both Kinneir and Smith every success. Referring to Charlesworth, the speaker said he regarded him as the finest bat in England, bar none. If the team was in a hole, he always went in with smiling face, and usually came out with a more smiling face. If it had not been for his performances in the last few matches they would not be in the position they occupied today. Special mention should be made of Frank and George Stephens. These two he looked upon as two of the finest amateurs Warwickshire cricket had ever known. Concluding, Mr. Foster said he was glad to do what he had for the club. Foster’s citing Field for special mention acknowledged not only his outstanding bowling – he obtained a career-best 122 championship wickets at 19.48 – but his bravery. Throughout the season he suffered great pain from an old elbow injury, an injury incidentally which prevented his straightening his right arm and caused some people to accuse him of Tell Kent from me she hath lost 45 40 The correspondent was probably Unite Jones, a large man who once got stuck in an Edgbaston telephone booth.