ONE of the top bowlers in the Bolton Cricket League's history has announced his retirement.

Steve Foster, who last season became only the 11th bowler in the League to take 1,000 wickets, played his final game last Saturday.

Foster, aged 44 from Sharples, played his first six years at Bradshaw as a junior and ended his career with his last five years there.

Prior to that he had 14 years at Eagley and his first four years in the Bolton League at Astley Bridge.

General wear and tear caused by playing cricket is the reason he has given up the game, but he says he wants to continue to have some input at local level.

"I've been thinking about it for a bit because of what it's doing to my body," he said.

"But I had a good season last season and Steve [Dickinson, the Bradshaw chairman] asked me if I would carry on.

"I thought I'd give it another go because of how it had gone last season. I took nearly 80 wickets at an average of 13 and just missed out on the bowler's prize by 0.2 of a point to Oliver Newby at Westhoughton.

"To be honest I wish Ray Taylor [the Bolton League secretary] hadn't told me when I heard I'd come so close!

"But my body just won't take it. I only bowled 11 overs last Saturday and when I got up on Sunday my knee gave up on me.

"I need a little operation on it and I've got to think about my fitness for the future."

His dad, Albert Foster, is well known in Bolton cricket circles having played all his career at Darcy Lever and then followed his Steve's career throughout.

He also looks after the ground at Bradshaw along with long-time groundsman David Morris.

"He's watched me everywhere I've been right through my career and knows me better than anybody," said the slow medium left-arm bowler.

"I had a word with him and he helped to make my mind up. He said he'd noticed I wasn't as fluent bowling or as agile in the field as I was so that was it and I made my announcement on Sunday.

"I've been playing at this standard for a quarter of a century and the game's been brilliant to me.

"If I'm old and my body's all bent and twisted I won't regret a single thing.

"It's been good to me and the highlight was getting the thousand runs and it's time to give something back, probably coaching the juniors."