About james foster

Popular Essex wicketkeeper and useful right-hand batsman, James Foster, nicknamed Fozzy, was born on 15 April 1980. Very early on his glove skills suggested that he was destined to be a wicketkeeper for his country. When he completed studying at Durham University and was able to commit full-time to cricket there was talk of him becoming Alec Stewart's successor. In the 2001/2 one day tour of Zimbabwe he made his debut at Harare, and when Stewart opted out of the tour to India, he took his place.

Then came an unforeseen set-back for Fozzy when, during nets practice, he broke his arm leaving the door wide open for Stewart to return as England's glove man.

James continued to perform consistently for his county and, despite his injury, he was kept on the England squad as reserve during the Ashes tour to Australia in 2002 where he gained one more Test Cap in Melbourne when Stewart was unable to play.

He became Vice-Captain at Essex in 2007 and enjoyed a superlative 2008 season with both gloves and bat. An achievement that did not go unnoticed by the selectors, and he was called up to England's Twenty20 squad in 2009.