Foster first keeper to take award (From Echo)

Foster first keeper to take award

5:00pm Wednesday 4th July 2012 in Sport By James Colasanti

ESSEX skipper James Foster has capped a series of impressive displays by becoming the first wicketkeeper to win the monthly FTI Most Valuable Player award from the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

Foster was the top point scorer in the rankings system that compares the performances of every player on the county circuit.

His 364 runs in all competitions came off just 360 balls and accounted for almost a quarter of the total Essex scored during June.

In the field he contributed by taking seven catches and four stumpings.

In the Championship draw at Northampton, Foster stroked 135 runs in 230 balls, putting on nearly 300 for the fifth wicket with Ravi Bopara.

Since then he has blasted two half centuries and a 47 in the Twenty20, as well as picking up valuable points with the gloves.

Essex coach Paul Grayson, who recently hailed him as the world’s best wicketkeeper, said: “James has been outstanding for us this season and during the t20 in particular. He certainly deserves to win this award.”

Foster beat Warwickshire’s Chris Woakes to the award by just over six points. Middlesex batsman Paul Stirling was third, with Hamp-shire’s Dimitri Mascarenhas and Worcestershire’s Phil Hughes filling the other places in the top five.

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