Cunliffe Foster Image 1 Oxford University 1895

Description

Belgravia, London born Foster Cunliffe was a left-arm medium pace bowler who was educated Eton College, where he had taken 13 wickets in an Eton v Harrow match, and at New College, Oxford University, and played cricket for the University from 1895 to 1898, obtaining his Blue. In 1897 he made his County Championship debut for Middlesex and in 1899 began playing for M.C.C., playing first class cricket through to 1904.

Cunliffe was a modest left-hand batsman and played 85 innings in 56 first-class matches with an average of 15.36 and a top score of 70, his only half century. He was a left-arm medium pace bowler who had a good length, sending down a difficult ball that came with his arm. He took 235 first class wickets with an average of 21.78 and a best performance of 8-26. He had 15 five wicket innings and 5 ten wicket matches in first class cricket. He also took 25 catches.

A distinguished military historian who became a Fellow of All Souls, Oxford and a lecturer in history at Oxford University, Cunliffe, who by then had inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1905, becoming Sir Foster Cunliffe, served during the First World War with the 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own) and reached the rank of major. He died of wounds at Ovillers-la-Boisselle, France in July 1916 during the Somme offensive, aged 40. He is buried at Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert, Somme.