Back and knee injuries plagued the career of Essex seam bowler Neil Foster so much that the plates in his body once apparently set off an airport metal-detector. In all, he had as many as nine knee operations, and the problems jinxed a fine career. Fozzie had a beautiful, upright action, which generated prolific outswing and seam movement both ways. And he had the priceless ability to dismiss good batsmen: he is the only man to snare Javed Miandad and Viv Richards for 0 in a Test. He came from nowhere to take 11 wickets in England's stunning Madras victory in 1984-85, and at The Oval in 1988 demolished West Indies' top order single-handedly in a devastating display. He went on the rebel tour to South Africa a year later, only to return to Test cricket at his Lord's bogey ground - where his bowling average was 51 - in 1993. He gave in to injury and retired a week later.
Rob Smyth