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BORN 30-10-1873 AT MALVERN DIED
22-1-1950 HEREFORD |
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BATTING AVERAGE
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It was in the year 1888 that a youth, then only 14 years old, stepped from the Pavilion and walked to the wickets to do battle for Worcestershire. Spectators were amazed to see a boy of 14 at the wicket and wondered what he had done to justify his being asked to play in a county match at that early age . This boy was Henry K. Foster, the first of the seven brothers and second of eleven children all born and raised at Malvern College. His appearance on that summer afternoon in 1888 was the first introduction of the famous " Fosters of Malvern ". He went on to Oxford and established himself as a fine cricketer. His innings in the 'Varsity match at Lords in 1896 was considered one of the finest of the whole series. He obtained his Cricket Blue and only failed to get his Football Blue because of illness. He was also a brilliant racquets player which he later described as the greatest of all games and obtained his Blue in this field as well. For seven years he won the Amateur Championship ( Singles ) and he also won the Doubles Championship seven times with his brother W. L. in 1898 and B. S. in 1903. This puts him at the top of the tree as one of the finest amateurs of that generation of racquets. Even to-day, the high light of Public Schools Racquets each year at Queen's is the H. K. Foster cup for the best schoolboy player. Known by his family as Harry, he took Worcestershire into first class cricket in 1899 and was Captain of Worcestershire, on and off for many years until the 1914 war.( See Family Page ) At his best Harry seemed the equal of just about any player in an era notable for outstanding batsmen. He made a 150 minute double hundred against Somerset in 1903 and a century before lunch against the same county two years later. Harry's other double hundred 215 against Warwickshire in 1908, also came in even time. In all he made 17,154 runs in first class cricket at an average of just over 34, and as a reliable slip fielder took 206 catches. He captained Worcestershire from 1899 to 1910 with the exception of 1901 and led them again in 1915. He scored 28 centuries for the County. His record is one to be truly proud of and it must have been gratifying for him to know he had finally succeeded in two of his chief ambitions. He led Worcestershire almost to ' the top of the pole ' by being bracketed second with Yorkshire. His team had beaten Yorkshire twice in one summer - a feat that hardly any other team had been able to accomplish during the past score years. He was awarded the M. B. E. for his services to agriculture during the first World War. Harry was described as a man of noble simplicity and great charm. |
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