Popular batsman Ed Foster has been provisionally named Shrewsbury Cricket Club captain for next season – but it could all change if he receives the chance to continue his First Class career.
Foster, who was disappointed to be released by Worcestershire at the end of last season, replaced Jon Anders as Shrewsbury skipper midway through the last campaign and narrowly failed to lead the club to promotion from the Birmingham League first division.
Shrewsbury chairman Andy Barnard said the club would love to have the classy Foster at the helm once again next term and he was pencilled in to fill the role at the London Road outfit’s AGM.
But, at the same time, Barnard added Shrewsbury would be delighted if Foster attracted interest from other First Class counties, even though it would mean the club would have to look elsewhere for a captain.
Foster is currently playing grade cricket in Western Australia for Perth-based Claremont Nedlands alongside Reece O’Connell, who was such a hit as Shrewsbury’s overseas player last season.
“Ed’s been nominated as first team skipper and will be happy to take the position, but he can’t confirm that until he knows what’s happening with his professional career,” said Barnard.
“He’s happy to do it if he’s around and Ed should know early in the new year if he’s going to get offered anything by a First Class county.
“That would give us time to sort something out and we have got other options, a plan B, in place.”
Barnard said Foster, from Belle Vue, would be the perfect man for the club to have as captain to spearhead their push to return to the top flight of the Birmingham League.
The chairman added the club’s hopes of luring Aussie allrounder O’Connell back for a second season are also dependent on the player’s career plans.
O’Connell is rated highly in Perth and has ambitions of playing for Western Australia, which could determine whether he returns to Shrewsbury.
“It’s similar to Ed’s situation in that we’re waiting to see what happens in his professional career in Australia,” said Barnard. “We would like him to come back and he’s keen to do that, but we have to see whether he gets offered a rookie contract by Western Australia.”
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury’s other captaincy positions will remain unchanged next summer with Nick Jones (2nd XI), Steve Carless (3rd XI) and Paul Gerrard (4th XI) re-elected at the AGM.