Foster Neville Image 1 Worcestershire 1927

Description

Malvern, Worcestershire born right-handed batsman Neville Foster was one of seven brothers who all played cricket for Worcestershire. Neville was educated at Malvern College and spent most of his adult life in Malaya, Foster playing twice for the Federated Malay States against the Straits Settlements in 1911 and 1912. He began his first class career for Worcestershire in 1914when he played in a County Championship match against Middlesex. He played in two further matches that season.

Back in Malaya, he played a third match for the Federated Malay States against the Straits Settlements in Kuala Lumpur in 1922, before returning to England for his final season of first class cricket, last appearing for the County in 1923, when he played five County Championship matches for Worcestershire. He played 8 first class matches in all, averaging 21.90 with the bat, with a highest score of 40 not out in first class play. The remainder of his recorded cricket career took place in Malaya, eventually captaining the Federated Malay States for whom he played six more times, five times against the Straits Settlements and once against Hong Kong. He also played four times for the combined Malaya cricket team, playing against Hong Kong in 1926, and against Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1927, as well as against an Australian XI.

He was one of seven Foster brothers to play for Worcestershire, with his other brothers Harry, Basil, Maurice, Geoffrey, 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. Before he died on 8 January 1978 in Malvern, Neville Foster was the last survivor of his cricket playing brothers.

NB in the photograph, taken in June 1927, he walks out (right) with fellow captain C.G. Macartney before a match between Malaya and an Australian XI at Kuala Lumpur.