Fostershire

From Wikipedia, the free 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 this one family played for Worcestershire during this period, three of whom captained the club at some point.

Contents

[edit] The Foster brothers

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. The Foster brothers were all educated at Malvern College.

Name Lifespan Worcestershire career Other f-c teams Notes
Span Matches Runs Wickets
Basil Foster 1882-1959 1902-1911 7 94 0 Middlesex
MCC
Geoffrey Foster 1884-1971 1903-1914 81 4,114 2 Kent
Oxford University
MCC
Europeans
Henry Foster 1873-1950 1899-1925 246 15,053 11 Oxford University
MCC
Worcs captain 1899-1900, 1902-1910, 1913
Wisden 1911
Maurice Foster 1889-1940 1908-1934 157 7,876 3 MCC Worcs captain 1923-1925
Neville Foster 1890-1978 1914-1923 8 219 - - appeared only in those two seasons
"Tip" Foster 1878-1914 1899-1912 80 5,699 21 England (8 Tests)
Oxford University
MCC
Worcs captain 1901
Wisden 1901
Wilfrid Foster 1874-1958 1899-1911 29 1,600 0 MCC

[edit] 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 Foster (Worcestershire 1927), son of Henry;
  • Peter Foster (Oxford University and Kent 1936-1946), son of Geoffrey; not to be confused with Peter Foster the Australian conman.
  • William Greenstock (Cambridge University and Worcestershire 1886-1919); brother-in-law of the seven brothers;
  • John Greenstock (Oxford University and Worcestershire 1924-1927), son of William Greenstock and nephew of the seven brothers.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

More info on Foster Family; http://www.thefostersofmalvern.co.uk/family.htm

R.E. 'Tip' Foster Player Profile on Cric Info; http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/12881.html