Timmy F My Cavs Woe

Cavaliers all-rounder Tim Foster today spoke of the agony he’s endured through a torrid 2007 season – but was quick to point out that he’s planning to make much more of an impact in 2008.

“To be honest”, commented the Reading-based veteran, “I’m looking to draw a line under this year. It’s been stop-start, and I’ve never really hit my straps.”

Foster has invariably been thrown the new ball by skipper Nick Brindley, but his paltry tally of 3 wickets at 38 is a poor reflection on his performances. “At the end of the day, cricket’s about stats and mine aren’t pretty, but when you look at the Tail of the Tape this year, I feel I’ve bowled better than ever with little or no reward.” Onlookers would surely agree – Foster Jr has been using the overcast conditions to swing the ball like a banana, and invariably beats the bat a couple of times an over, while it seems that more catches go down off his bowling than any others and umpires rarely uphold his appeals for lbw. “It’s made worse by the fact that I bowl 8 overs at their top order and get zip for loads, when other lads come on in the middle of the innings – I’m not going to name names here – and pick up a couple of cheap wickets with their dibbly dobblers, or even worse, certain lads come back on, mop up the tail and get all the plaudits.”

With the bat, it’s been a case of ‘what if’ for father-of-one Foster (34). Despite having an all-round game the envy of many, the bowling skills that made him player of the year in 2004 have pigeon-holed him as a bowler, and invariably seem him coming in at 9, 10 or Jack. Scores of 1 (run out), 3no, 0 (run out), 1no, dnb and dnb this year are testament to this. “It’s a catch-22; I need time out in the middle to get my confidence up and put bat on ball, but coming in with 2 overs left and the instruction to ‘get on with it’ isn’t the way to turn things round.”

So, for the popular IT support manager, it’s a case of working hard over the winter, maybe playing some grade cricket alongside former sparring partner Mitchy Richell in Sydney, and focussing on delivering big things for the Cavs’ 2008 skipper.

“I’m not ready to hang up my boots yet, that’s for sure. Form is temporary, class is permanent, and I can tell you this now – you can expect big things from this Lower Sixth next season.”