Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

Contemporary reports stated Foster showed perfect form throughout, giving no semblance of a chance and never being seen to lift the ball until after 200 had been posted. His driving, both off- and on-, was stated to be perfect, and his leg-side play executed with ‘wonderful skill and certainty’. He found all the bowling easy, none more so than that of M.K.Foster, whom he hit for 36 in 18 balls. Foster added 126 for the fourth wicket with Quaife, and 166 for the seventh with Tiger Smith. Foster declared at 645 for seven, still Warwicks’ best against Worcestershire, but fading light precluded the home side starting their second innings until the third morning. The delay merely proved to be a stay of execution. The lunch score was 114 for six, and Field quickly polished them off for 136 after the break. Field’s figures, 8.4 overs, 7 maidens, 2 runs, 6 wickets remain, statistically speaking, one of the best analyses in the Championship. The skipper was wicketless but one doubts that he cared. An innings and 321 runs was then Warwicks’ biggest win, and remains so for an away match. Championship leaders Middlesex now visited Edgbaston and Foster returned to earth with three in five balls. Rain curtailed play on the second day but Warner could have made a match of it had he shown more enterprise. As it was, Foster showed his feelings by opening the batting and raced to 50 in 15 minutes, at the time the quickest half-century ever in county cricket, still the Warwicks record under genuine conditions and also the fastest for any side against Middlesex. Foster scored 51 of the first 52 runs, allowing Parsons only three balls and was eventually dismissed for Vicissitudes down to war 84 The Warwickshire scorebook, in George Austin’s hand, showing Foster’s record 305 not out at Dudley in 1914. He hit 44 fours and a five, and scored 305 of the 448 runs added while he was at the wicket.