Foster Geoffrey Image 1 Worcestershire 1907

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Malvern, Worcestershire born Geoffrey Foster was the youngest of seven brothers who all played cricket for Worcestershire. Geoffrey was educated at Malvern College and at Oxford University, and began his first class career for Worcestershire against Leicestershire at New Road in August 1903, but made a duck in his only innings. He played a handful more matches in that and the following season, but his only achievement of note was an innings of 81 against Somerset in August 1905.

He went to Worcester College, Oxford University, in 1905 and got his Blue every year from then until 1908. In 1905 he took the first of his few wickets, that of Gentlemen of England’s Maynard Ashcroft. A fine all-round sportsman, Foster was also a Blue at golf and rackets, as well as captaining the University’s football team in 1908.  Cricket was, however, his forté, and combining his appearances for Oxford with those for his County, he scored particularly heavily in 1907, when he hit 1,182 first-class runs (his best season’s aggregate) at an average of over 40. He also passed 1,000 runs in 1908.

In 1909-10 Foster went to India, playing twice for Europeans in the Bombay Presidency Match and Triangular, though his contribution was negligible: he totalled just three runs, held one catch and did not bowl. In 1910 he made his 1,000 runs for the third and last time when he played 19 first class games and took 25 catches, both figures being his most in a single season. He appeared 17 times in 1911, but thereafter his business commitments limited his appearances to a handful each season. However, he did make a career best 175 against Leicestershire in 1913, only to see Worcestershire fall to an eight run defeat, despite Worcestershire having enforced the follow-on. His stand of 195 with John Cuffe in that match was at the time a County record for the sixth wicket. In 1912 he played (for the only time in his career) as wicket-keeper against the Australians at New Road, stumping the opposing keeper, Harold Webster.

The First World War intervened after the 1914 season, and Foster did not play again until 1920, when he appeared once each for Free Foresters and M.C.C., hitting 143 in his match for the latter side against Oxford University. In 1921 he played eight times for Kent, for whom he turned out twice more the following season. After that his first class appearances were sporadic: he played for Harlequins in one of their few first class matches, against the South Africans in 1924, and later that decade played four games for Free Foresters against Oxford University. Finally, he played a few games for M.C.C. in 1931, the last once again being against Oxford.

In 141 first class matches, Foster scored 6,600 runs at an average of 28.32 with 11 centuries and 26 half centuries and also took 8 wickets with his occasional bowling at 35.50 apiece with a best return of 2-21. He took 160 catches and made one stumping as an occasional wicket-keeper.

He played football for The Corinthians, and he was their  honorary secretary for a number of years. He was the Public Schools and Independent Schools F.A. representative on the Council of the Football Association from 1920 to 1924.

He was one of seven Foster brothers to play for Worcestershire, with his other brothers Harry, Basil, Maurice, Neville, Tip and Wilfrid, ‘Fostershire’ was a name jocularly applied to Worcestershire. Three nephews (Christopher Foster, Peter Foster and John Greenstock) and his brother-in-law William Greenstock also played first class cricket. On only two occasions did four of the brothers play in a first class match together. In both cases the brothers involved were Geoffrey, Harry, Tip and Wilfrid. The matches, both in August 1905, were against the Australians at Worcester and against Somerset at Taunton. His son Peter Foster played for Kent and Oxford University.