Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

Thanks to 93 from Kinneir who had been suffering a torrid time, Warwicks reached 220; Surrey’s much-vaunted batsmen then had no answer to the leg-theory of Foster, six for 53 in 16.5 overs. Only the less-celebrated and allegedly slow-footed Edward Goatly, getting his head down and his body behind for an unbeaten 35, enabling them to reach 130. Further rain then curtailed what had been a damp, dark and miserable home season for the deposed champions. Foster missed the next two washed-out Warwicks matches to appear at The Oval against Australia in the last Test of the ill-fated triangular series. On a typically dead wicket, England outplayed Australia who, set 310 for victory collapsed alarmingly against ‘second-string’ bowling of Dean and Woolley; 65 was all they could muster. Nothing went right, the nadir being reached when a Hobbs throw hit the stumps with Bardsley well in his ground. Hobbs appealed and umpire John Moss ruled the batsman out. England did not need that sort of thing – they were winning anyway. As for Hobbs – did he have a conscience? This frustrating match was Foster’s last Test though obviously he was unaware of this: 19 and three not out, two overs for five runs and one catch (or was it two?). He reckoned he caught Syd Gregory off Dean in the second innings, put the ball in his pocket and he and Woolley then ran to the boundary in pursuit of an imaginary ball. Tiger Smith shouted at Foster to stop fooling about and throw the ball up: skipper Fry, maybe lacking a sense of humour, was non-plussed. The umpire gave Gregory out and reports and scorecards awarded the catch to Douglas. Strange goings on. The under-praised hero of 1911/12 had now been hindered by unsympathetic captaincy. Against Australia he had been insultingly underused, taking a mere two wickets for 50 in 39 overs. Then again for most of the season he was manifestly stale and, according to Tiger Smith years later, he bowled too much leg-theory and couldn’t be bothered to think about the game. Still only 23 and his Test career over. Foster returned to his county for their final three matches. Good results would have seen them well-placed but they were in freefall. The first matches of their southern tour featured Sussex at Hastings and Hampshire at Bournemouth, both marked by depressing weather and even more depressing play by Warwicks, easily beaten both times. Foster swished around aimlessly and though taking eight wickets he bowled very mechanically. Finally to The Oval. A few days without rain had made the pitch hard and fast and it was interesting that Foster’s first day 54 in 80 minutes was the best innings of the match and, for him, probably the best of the season. Warwicks had the better of a fine first day, but then damp misery returned and they lost by six wickets. Apart from his excellent first knock Foster seemed to just go through the motions, 18 overs for 55 runs and no wickets. Vicissitudes down to war 72