Education
Born 6 May 1962, Colchester, Essex) Foster was educated at Philip Morant Comprehensive, Colchester.
Born 6 May 1962, Colchester, Essex) Foster was educated at Philip Morant Comprehensive, Colchester.
He played for Essex from 1980 to 1993, earning his county cap in 1983. He was a fast bowler. He played for Essex during arguably their most successful period in their history.
Foster made his Test debut against New Zealand at Lord"s in 1983, with Jeremy Coney becoming his first wicket and only wicket of that game.
Foster made his debut alongside other debutants, Nick Cook and Chris Smith, and it was the first time since 1959 that England had fielded three new players in a home Test. Foster made his mark on at a similar time to other fellow Essex players and captain Graham Gooch.
Foster"s fast swing bowling suited English conditions, but his best bowling figures came against India in Madras in 1984-1985 where he took eleven wickets in the match. Foster is the only bowler to get both Javed Miandad and Viv Richards out for a duck in a Test.
As a batsman, his highest Test score of 39 was made against Australia in the Fourth Test of the 1989 Ashes series.
During the 1989 Fourth Test, an England rebel tour to South Africa was announced, with Foster one of the touring party with Mike Gatting as captain. All rebel players were banned for three years from Foster got a recall from the selectors in 1993, replacing Phillip DeFreitas in the Second Ashes test. lieutenant was his first Test for four years.
He became the fourth South African rebel to be rehabilitated, after Gatting, John Emburey and Paul Jarvis, and his selection was designed to bring more aggression to the English attack.
But on a docile pitch at Foster"s least favourite Test ground, his recall was not a success. Foster opened the bowling with Andrew Caddick, and the Australians scored 632 for 4 declared.
England lost by an innings and 62 runs. Foster played only one more county game before retiring that year.
"Back and knee injuries plagued the career of Essex seam bowler Neil Foster so much that the plates in his body once apparently set off an airport metal-detector.
In all, he had as many as nine knee operations, and the problems jinxed a fine career. He has since gone on to work on Sports celebrities such as Allan Clarke, who shot to fame by starring on hit television show I"m a RPO get me out of here! "
With his first-hand knowledge of the physio"s table, it is no surprise that Foster became a chartered physiotherapist after he retired from the game. He gained his degree in physiotherapy from the University of Salford.