Prolific Shrewsbury skipper Ed Foster insists he has no desire to return to first class cricket despite finishing top run scorer in the Birmingham League premier division for the second successive season.
A host of keen observers, led by Shrewsbury chairman Andy Barnard, are amazed the left-handed batsman is not playing cricket professionally.
But Foster, who led Shrewsbury to the Birmingham League title for the first time this season and also captained Shropshire to their first trophy in nearly 40 years, has stressed making it in the first class game no longer interests him.
Foster, who hit a first class century for Loughborough University against Essex in his younger days, had spells with Worcestershire and Leicestershire, but was restricted to a diet of second team cricket at both before being released.
He has since concentrated on doing as well as he can for Shrewsbury and Shropshire, piling on the runs and leading club and county to plenty of success.
“I’m not chasing a dream any more,” said Shrewsbury-born Foster, who lives in Belle Vue.
“I’m not looking to play first class cricket, I’m past that day and I’m concentrating on playing for Shrewsbury and Shropshire.
“I’ll be 26 next summer and it’s not an ambition for me any more at all. I enjoy playing for Shrewsbury and Shropshire and we’ve had great success this year – now I want to have more success.”
Foster added he was delighted to have finished top run scorer in the strong Birmingham League premier division once again, with the fact that it helped Shrewsbury become champs making it even more of a special achievement.
He cracked 788 league runs at an average of 46.35 which, although 57 runs short of his league tally from 2009, still saw him finish 29 runs clear of Knowle & Dorridge’s Attiq Chishti.
Foster’s half century in the title-clinching win at Kidderminster also saw him become the first player to score 5,000 Birmingham League runs for Shrewsbury.
“I’ve no idea if anyone has scored most runs in successive years before but I’m very pleased,” said Foster.
“The key thing for me is I’ve done it in a season when we’ve done so well as a club.
“It’s great to see so many other Shrewsbury players high up in the averages as well.”
Tom Cox was directly below Foster in the premier division averages with 357 runs at 44.63 while the club were also well served by Joe Leach (505 runs at 42.08) and Ryan Bishop (523 at 32.69).
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury leg spinner Elliot Green, 19, took 46 league wickets at 16.98 apiece.
The only man to take more premier division wickets was Barnt Green’s former Warwickshire star Dougie Brown who snared three more victims.
Foster added he was delighted with the reception his club and county team- mates received from Shrewsbury Town fans when they paraded their trophies around the Greenhous Meadow pitch during half time at last weekend’s match against Northampton.
“The lads were a bit embarrassed when we heard we were going to be walking around the pitch,” he said. “But the reception we got was brilliant and everyone came off saying wow, how nice it was.”
By Stuart Dunn