James Foster to Bid Farewell at the End of the Season
Sep 14, 2018 at 11:55 AM
Essex veteran James Foster has announced that he will bid adieu at the end of the 2018 season after his county decided not to renew his contract.
Meanwhile, Foster, who has played for Essex since 2000, represented England in seven Tests, 11 ODIs and five T20Is. His last Test appearance came during the 2002-03 Ashes whereas the last time he played for England in any format was during the 2009 World T20.
James Foster, widely known for his wicket-keeping skills was a good middle-order batsman as well. Foster also scored an impressive 23 first-class hundreds which speak a lot about his batting.
However, his crowning moment as a county player came in his penultimate season as he won his first County Championship title at the age of 37. Having lost his place in the side at the start of the season, he worked hard to reclaim the gloves and played a crucial role in his Essex’s first Championship win since 1992.
Foster’s retirement is unlikely to spell the end of his involvement in the game though as he looks likely to venture into coaching. He has previously worked with England, including during last week’s Oval Test. Furthermore, James Foster will join the coaching staff of the Big Bash team, the Sydney Thunders.
“This was a decision I gave great consideration to, knowing the hard work it took me to get back into the side during the 2017 championship winning season, however I felt this was the right thing for me personally as coaching is the direction I want to explore when I eventually finish playing,” Foster and Essex said in a joint statement.