Shrewsbury batsman Ed Foster’s productive winter Down Under playing grade cricket in Australia has been curtailed by a broken hand – but the local lad remains hopeful of continuing his career in the English First Class game.
Foster, released by Worcestershire at the end of last season despite a string of fine displays in the Second XI Championship, revealed he had spoken to three counties about a possible move and now it’s a question of waiting to see what develops.
Foster has been provisionally elected to captain Shrewsbury in the Birmingham League next summer depending on how his career shapes up, but the club would readily accept losing his services if it meant he had the opportunity to forge a career on the professional circuit.
Foster added he was enjoying himself playing club cricket in Perth for Claremont Nedlands and had been in good touch until injury struck last week.
“I dislocated and broke my hand while doing fielding practice,” Foster told the Chronicle from Perth. “It’s particularly disappointing as not only was the season going well but I was on the verge of a first team call-up.
“I should be out for around six weeks which means I’m likely to miss two matches.”
Foster has been opening the batting in second grade cricket for Claremont in recent months, cracking around 350 runs at a healthy average of 60.
He struck a career best 159 not out against University a couple of weeks ago which, he revealed, equalled the highest score ever made by his dad John, the former Shrewsbury and Shropshire skipper.
But his younger brother Rob, the Shrewsbury and Shropshire allrounder, took great delight in telling Ed that it fell three short of his personal best.
Foster is playing alongside Reece O’Connell, who was such a hit as Shrewsbury’s overseas star last season, at Claremont and said the highly-rated allrounder had picked up where he had left off now he’s back on home soil.
“Reece has had a very good start to the season, a common trend for recent Shrewsbury overseas players,” said Foster. “He was the leading wicket taker in the competition a few weeks ago but hasn’t bowled so much lately due to the seam bowlers taking all the wickets.
“The unofficial link between Shrewsbury and Claremont Nedlands looks set to continue with a number of Claremont players expressing their interest in playing for the club in the coming years with a couple likely to be coming to the area this coming season.”
Foster’s Claremont team-mates also include batsman Campbell Robertson, another former overseas player at London Road.