Fostershire
Encyclopedia
"Fostershire" was a name jocularly applied to Worcestershire County Cricket Club
in the early part of the 20th century, shortly after the county had achieved first-class
status and admission into the English
County Championship
(in 1899). The name came from the fact that no fewer than seven brothers from the Foster family played for Worcestershire during this period, three of whom captained the club at some point.
The full list, with Worcestershire careers in brackets is: Basil Samuel
(1902-11), Geoffrey Norman
(1903-14), Henry Knollys ("Harry") (1899–1925), Maurice Kirshaw
(1908-34), Neville John Acland
(1914-23), Reginald Erskine ("Tip") (1899–1912) and Wilfrid Lionel ("Bill")
(1899–1911). Not surprisingly the county became known as 'Fostershire'.
On only two occasions did four of the brothers play in a first-class match together.
In both cases the brothers involved were Geoffrey, Harry, Tip and Wilfrid. The matches, both in August 1905, were against the Australians at Worcester and against Somerset
at Taunton.
Against Hampshire
in July 1899, Bill (who scored 140 and 172 not out) and Tip (134 and 101 not out) both scored their maiden first-class centuries in the first innings, and became the fist pair of brothers to score two separate centuries each in the same first-class match. This feat has since been emulated by Ian Chappell
and Greg Chappell
in a Test match in 1974, but remains unique in county cricket.
Against Kent
in 1905, Tip (246 not out), Harry (86) and Geoffrey (54) combined to lead Worcestershire to a club record total of 627 for 9 declared. The following year against Warwickshire
, Harry (124) and Tip (35) contributed to a team total of 633, a club record which would not be surpassed until 1995.
; Harry, Tip and Geoffrey all went on to Oxford University. All seven brothers were primarily right-handed batsmen; Maurice and Geoffrey also occasionally kept wicket, and Tip and Harry occasionally bowled seam-up
.
Harry, the oldest brother, made the most appearances and scored the most runs for Worcestershire, and captained Worcestershire for the longest period. His tally of 15,053 runs for the county places him fifteenth on the all-time list. In 1903 he scored 216 against Somerset, the first double century in Worcestershire's first-class
history; he also scored 215 in 1908, the first man to score two double centuries for the county.
Nonetheless, Tip is recognised as the finest cricketer of the brothers and was the only brother to represent England. In 1903 he scored 287 on Test debut, setting the record for the highest Test innings (which stood until 1930); the innings remains the highest by an Englishman in Australia and the innings by a Test debutant. Though he was recognised as one of the finest English batsmen of his time, and captained England in three Tests, business commitments restricted him to eight Test appearances. Tip's score of 246 not out in 1905 set the record for the highest innings for Worcestershire. His career was cut short by his death from diabetes at the age of 36; he was the first of the Foster brothers to die.
The following table gives the Foster brothers' career dates and statistics for Worcestershire only, but in all first-class matches, not just those in the County Championship.
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
in the early part of the 20th century, shortly after the county had achieved first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
status and admission into the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
(in 1899). The name came from the fact that no fewer than seven brothers from the Foster family played for Worcestershire during this period, three of whom captained the club at some point.
The full list, with Worcestershire careers in brackets is: Basil Samuel
Basil Foster
Basil Samuel Foster was an English cricketer who played 34 first-class matches in the early 20th century. He was born in Malvern, Worcestershire, and died in Pield Heath, Hillingdon, Middlesex, aged 77.-Career:...
(1902-11), Geoffrey Norman
Geoffrey Foster
Geoffrey Norman Foster was an English cricketer who played county cricket for Worcestershire and Kent, as well as appearing a number of times for Oxford University and MCC. He was one of the seven Foster brothers, all of whom played first-class cricket for Worcestershire, and he led the county on...
(1903-14), Henry Knollys ("Harry") (1899–1925), Maurice Kirshaw
Maurice Foster (English cricketer)
Maurice Kirshaw Foster was an English cricketer who played 170 first-class matches. The great bulk of these were for Worcestershire, which county he captained for three seasons from 1923 to 1925...
(1908-34), Neville John Acland
Neville Foster
Neville John Acland Foster was an English cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he was the youngest of seven brothers to play first-class cricket for Worcestershire, though his county cricket was restricted to two seasons as he spent most of his life in Malaya.-Biography:Born in Malvern, Foster...
(1914-23), Reginald Erskine ("Tip") (1899–1912) and Wilfrid Lionel ("Bill")
Wilfrid Foster
Major Wilfrid Lionel Foster CBE DSO was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsman who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in their early years in first-class cricket. He was one of the seven Foster brothers, all of whom played first-class cricket for the county...
(1899–1911). Not surprisingly the county became known as 'Fostershire'.
On only two occasions did four of the brothers play in a first-class match together.
In both cases the brothers involved were Geoffrey, Harry, Tip and Wilfrid. The matches, both in August 1905, were against the Australians at Worcester and against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
at Taunton.
Against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in July 1899, Bill (who scored 140 and 172 not out) and Tip (134 and 101 not out) both scored their maiden first-class centuries in the first innings, and became the fist pair of brothers to score two separate centuries each in the same first-class match. This feat has since been emulated by Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
and Greg Chappell
Greg Chappell
Gregory Stephen Chappell MBE is a former cricketer who captained Australia between 1975 and 1977 and then joined the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation, before returning to the Australian captaincy in 1979, a position he held until his retirement 1983...
in a Test match in 1974, but remains unique in county cricket.
Against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
in 1905, Tip (246 not out), Harry (86) and Geoffrey (54) combined to lead Worcestershire to a club record total of 627 for 9 declared. The following year against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
, Harry (124) and Tip (35) contributed to a team total of 633, a club record which would not be surpassed until 1995.
The Foster brothers
The Foster brothers were all educated at Malvern CollegeMalvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
; Harry, Tip and Geoffrey all went on to Oxford University. All seven brothers were primarily right-handed batsmen; Maurice and Geoffrey also occasionally kept wicket, and Tip and Harry occasionally bowled seam-up
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
.
Harry, the oldest brother, made the most appearances and scored the most runs for Worcestershire, and captained Worcestershire for the longest period. His tally of 15,053 runs for the county places him fifteenth on the all-time list. In 1903 he scored 216 against Somerset, the first double century in Worcestershire's first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
history; he also scored 215 in 1908, the first man to score two double centuries for the county.
Nonetheless, Tip is recognised as the finest cricketer of the brothers and was the only brother to represent England. In 1903 he scored 287 on Test debut, setting the record for the highest Test innings (which stood until 1930); the innings remains the highest by an Englishman in Australia and the innings by a Test debutant. Though he was recognised as one of the finest English batsmen of his time, and captained England in three Tests, business commitments restricted him to eight Test appearances. Tip's score of 246 not out in 1905 set the record for the highest innings for Worcestershire. His career was cut short by his death from diabetes at the age of 36; he was the first of the Foster brothers to die.
The following table gives the Foster brothers' career dates and statistics for Worcestershire only, but in all first-class matches, not just those in the County Championship.
| Name | Lifespan | Worcestershire career | Other f-c teams | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Span | Matches | Runs Average |
High Score 100s / 50s |
Wickets | Catches/ Stumpings |
||||
| Harry Foster | 1873-1950 | 1899 1899 English cricket season In the 1899 English cricket season, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time in four years, and the title turned out to be their last until 1914. Surrey's season was dominated by draws, with fourteen out of 26 games drawn, just like the season in general - especially the Australian... -1925 1925 English cricket season The 1925 English cricket season did not have a Test series and the focus was ostensibly upon the County Championship, except that proceedings were dominated by Jack Hobbs who scored a then-record 16 centuries and 3024 runs. Along the way, Hobbs equalled and then surpassed the career record for... |
246 | 15,053 35.33 |
216 28 / 79 |
11 | 173 | Oxford University Oxford University Cricket Club Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England... MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Worcs captain 1899 1899 English cricket season In the 1899 English cricket season, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time in four years, and the title turned out to be their last until 1914. Surrey's season was dominated by draws, with fourteen out of 26 games drawn, just like the season in general - especially the Australian... -1900 1900 English cricket season The 1900 English cricket season saw Yorkshire finish the season unbeaten in the County Championship, the first time this had happened since the start of the official championship in 1890. They therefore became county champions, while defending champions Surrey finished in the middle of the pack in... , 1902 1902 English cricket season The 1902 English cricket season saw the first Ashes series in England since 1899, when Australia had won a series in England for the first time since 1882. Australia won again, this time 2–1, with the first two Tests rained off... -1910 1910 English cricket season -Honours:*County Championship - Kent*Minor Counties Championship - Norfolk*Wisden - Harry Foster, Alfred Hartley, Charles Llewellyn, Razor Smith, Frank Woolley-External sources:*... , 1913 1913 English cricket season The 1913 English cricket season saw Kent take the title for the fourth time in eight seasons.-Honours:*County Championship - Kent*Minor Counties Championship - Norfolk... Wisden 1911 |
| Wilfrid Foster Wilfrid Foster Major Wilfrid Lionel Foster CBE DSO was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsman who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in their early years in first-class cricket. He was one of the seven Foster brothers, all of whom played first-class cricket for the county... |
1874-1958 | 1899 1899 English cricket season In the 1899 English cricket season, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time in four years, and the title turned out to be their last until 1914. Surrey's season was dominated by draws, with fourteen out of 26 games drawn, just like the season in general - especially the Australian... -1911 1911 English cricket season -Honours:*County Championship - Warwickshire*Minor Counties Championship - Staffordshire*Wisden - Frank Foster, J W Hearne, Sep Kinneir, Phil Mead, Herbert Strudwick-External sources:*... |
29 | 1,600 32.65 |
172* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... 3 / 8 |
0 | 15 | MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
|
| R.E. "Tip" Foster | 1878-1914 | 1899 1899 English cricket season In the 1899 English cricket season, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time in four years, and the title turned out to be their last until 1914. Surrey's season was dominated by draws, with fourteen out of 26 games drawn, just like the season in general - especially the Australian... -1912 1912 English cricket season The 1912 English cricket season saw the much-criticised Triangular Tournament of Test Matches between England, Australia and South Africa. The contest was effectively ruined by one of the wettest summers on record and was never repeated.-Honours:... |
80 | 5,699 44.87 |
246* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... 13 / 29 |
21 | 94 | England English cricket team The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end... (8 Tests Test cricket Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days... ) Oxford University Oxford University Cricket Club Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England... MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Worcs captain 1901 1901 English cricket season Yorkshire defended their County Championship title in the 1901 English cricket season, though, unlike in 1900, they lost one game during the season, to 12th-placed Somerset.... Wisden 1901 |
| Basil Foster Basil Foster Basil Samuel Foster was an English cricketer who played 34 first-class matches in the early 20th century. He was born in Malvern, Worcestershire, and died in Pield Heath, Hillingdon, Middlesex, aged 77.-Career:... |
1882-1959 | 1902 1902 English cricket season The 1902 English cricket season saw the first Ashes series in England since 1899, when Australia had won a series in England for the first time since 1882. Australia won again, this time 2–1, with the first two Tests rained off... -1911 1911 English cricket season -Honours:*County Championship - Warwickshire*Minor Counties Championship - Staffordshire*Wisden - Frank Foster, J W Hearne, Sep Kinneir, Phil Mead, Herbert Strudwick-External sources:*... |
7 | 94 14.76 |
36 0 / 0 |
0 | 9 | Middlesex Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the... MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
|
| Geoffrey Foster Geoffrey Foster Geoffrey Norman Foster was an English cricketer who played county cricket for Worcestershire and Kent, as well as appearing a number of times for Oxford University and MCC. He was one of the seven Foster brothers, all of whom played first-class cricket for Worcestershire, and he led the county on... |
1884-1971 | 1903 1903 English cricket season In the 1903 English cricket season Middlesex won their first County Championship title, winning eight and losing one of their 18 games in the season. Yorkshire, the defending champions and the only team to have won the Championship thus far in the 20th century, finished third after losing five... -1914 1914 English cricket season The 1914 English cricket season was called off at the end of August because of the outbreak of the First World War. The last four matches to be played all finished on 2 September and the remaining five scheduled fixtures were cancelled.... |
81 | 4,114 28.32 |
175 7 / 19 |
2 | 89/1 | Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... Oxford University Oxford University Cricket Club Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England... MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... Europeans Bombay Quadrangular The Bombay Quadrangular was an influential cricket tournament held in Bombay, India from 1912 to 1936. At other times it was known variously as the Presidency Match, Bombay Triangular, and the Bombay Pentangular.... |
|
| Maurice Foster Maurice Foster (English cricketer) Maurice Kirshaw Foster was an English cricketer who played 170 first-class matches. The great bulk of these were for Worcestershire, which county he captained for three seasons from 1923 to 1925... |
1889-1940 | 1908 1908 English cricket season The 1908 English cricket season was the year in which American John Barton "Bart" King topped the bowling averages as a member of the touring Philadelphian cricket team.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire... -1934 1934 English cricket season The 1934 English cricket season saw England lose the Ashes they had won via Bodyline in 1932-3, with Don Bradman again the crucial difference between two very strong teams.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire... |
157 | 7,876 28.70 |
158 12 / 39 |
3 | 133/3 | MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Worcs captain 1923 1923 English cricket season -Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Buckinghamshire*Wisden - Arthur Gilligan, Roy Kilner, George Macaulay, Cecil Parkin, Maurice Tate-External sources:*... -1925 1925 English cricket season The 1925 English cricket season did not have a Test series and the focus was ostensibly upon the County Championship, except that proceedings were dominated by Jack Hobbs who scored a then-record 16 centuries and 3024 runs. Along the way, Hobbs equalled and then surpassed the career record for... |
| Neville Foster Neville Foster Neville John Acland Foster was an English cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he was the youngest of seven brothers to play first-class cricket for Worcestershire, though his county cricket was restricted to two seasons as he spent most of his life in Malaya.-Biography:Born in Malvern, Foster... |
1890-1978 | 1914 1914 English cricket season The 1914 English cricket season was called off at the end of August because of the outbreak of the First World War. The last four matches to be played all finished on 2 September and the remaining five scheduled fixtures were cancelled.... -1923 1923 English cricket season -Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Buckinghamshire*Wisden - Arthur Gilligan, Roy Kilner, George Macaulay, Cecil Parkin, Maurice Tate-External sources:*... |
8 | 219 21.90 |
40* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... 0 / 0 |
- | 5 | - | appeared only in those two seasons |
Other relations
As well as the seven brothers listed in the above table, several other members of the Foster family played first-class cricket:- Christopher FosterChristopher FosterChristopher Knollys Foster was an English cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he played first-class cricket for Worcestershire in 1927.-Biography:...
(Worcestershire 1927), son of Henry FosterHenry FosterHenry Foster is the name of:*Henry Foster , British naval officer, explorer and scientist*Henry Foster , failed nominee to the position of Surgeon General of the United States... - Peter Foster (Oxford University and Kent 1936-1946), son of Geoffrey; not to be confused with Peter FosterPeter FosterPeter Clarence Foster is an Australian who has been convicted and jailed on three continents for offences involving weight loss products and property transactions....
the Australian conman. - William GreenstockWilliam GreenstockWilliam Greenstock was a cricketer. Born in Keiskammahoek, Cape Province, South Africa he nevertheless played all his cricket in England...
(Cambridge University and Worcestershire 1886-1919); brother-in-law of the seven brothers; - John GreenstockJohn GreenstockJohn Wilfrid Greenstock was an English cricketer who played 46 first-class matches in the 1920s, the bulk of these for Oxford University and Worcestershire....
(Oxford University and Worcestershire 1924-1927), son of William Greenstock and nephew of the seven brothers.