I agree that Robert Brooke's book is a great read.
As for Foster's speed, his reputation was that he gained pace off the pitch and he was tall by the standards of the day so got plenty of bounce. So I would say he was lively rather than genuinely fast. He was very accurate which made it easier for "TIger" to stand up to him.

Congratulations! You win the (non-existent) prize.
Samuel Beckett played two first-class cricket matches for Dublin University against Northants as a fast-medium left arm bowler, just like Frank Foster. I suspect that whereas Foster was more fast than medium, Beckett was more medium than fast.
The other oddity is that it is just possible that they met. When poor Frank Foster was in the mental hospital where he spent the last ten years of his life, one of the other inmates was Lucia Joyce, the daughter of James Joyce. Samuel Beckett had been in a relationship with her and it is known that he visited her at the hospital. So in my imagination, he and Frank Foster met there on one of his visits and compared notes about left arm quick bowling.
Anyway, back to reality!

What does/did Irish playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett have in common with Warwickshire's greatest ever all-rounder, Frank Foster?

A balanced report here:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-2021-1244186/lancashire-vs-warwickshire-division-1-1271382/match-report-4
By the way, the mention in the report of Samuel Beckett has reminded me of a quiz question which I will post on another thread.

I guess it's easy for me to be a dashing captain making daring declarations from the comfort of my armchair.

If Warwickshire are wanting to press on to get into a position to declare, it's maybe about time that Dom Sibley got out of first gear.

Andy wrote:

Looks like he's been forced out, shame as he's a lovely gloveman and still young.

Trying to make it as a keeper is tough. I see that Alex Milton isn’t being offered a new contract at Worcestershire.

You can rely on Paul Edwards to wax poetic about the approaching end if the season:
"Give it a month and such moments will be suddenly precious, their memory cherished on cool mornings when trees are suddenly aflame."
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-2021-1244186/lancashire-vs-warwickshire-division-1-1271382/match-report-3

Good to see that he is not only in the England under-19 squad but has also been made joint captain:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/barbados-born-jacob-bethell-to-captain-england-under-19s-against-west-indies-1275685?ex_cid=OTC-RSS

I agree that fitness is the only issue with Norwell.
As for Holder, maybe it is early days but he didn't look much like a Test match bowler from what I saw yesterday. I'll reserve judgement until he has a few more overs under his belt.
He certainly looked as if his batting efforts will be entertaining but very brief!

I wish my day at Old Trafford had been yesterday rather than today. My money is on a draw.

Back in the England squad, so lost to the Bears for the immediate future. I hope he gets a game, rather than being a drinks waiter again.

I Zoomed into a press conference with Mark Robinson earlier in the week.
Here is the piece that I wrote for Deep Extra Cover covering some of the issues that he faces as a head coach:
https://deepextracover.com/2021/08/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-a-head-coach/

The Bears need to stop Kent making it an all-southern Finals Day.
Also, having watched the quarter final matches so far, there has been some truly dreadful fielding. Maybe it's the pressure plus the August dew but there have been so many fumbles and dropped dollies.

I would say he was quite lively as a bowler - Will Rhodes would be about right. But it probably depended a bit on what mood he was in.

Sorry to hear of his passing. He was an outstanding player. And although he was much maligned when he was Chairman of Selectors, he was well ahead of his time in advocating ideas such as four day county cricket, full time contracts and England A team tours.
It's sometimes a shock to realise that the heroes of your youth have grown old. I was lucky enough to be invited to a book launch at the House of Lords a couple of years ago and spotted a stooped old man who looked slightly familiar. It took me quite a while to work out that it was Ted Dexter, looking quite frail and not at all the "Lord Ted" that I remembered.
Anyway, I have happy memories of him in his prime and may he rest in peace.

It would seem that Dan Mousley injured his hand quite badly in practice yesterday. Also, O H-D and Sidebottom are still not fit, hence the signing of Chelmar Holder.

It's comforting to know that senior ECB staff are being looked after in these hard times:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/23/senior-ecb-executives-to-share-21m-bonus-despite-covid-job-cuts?utm_term=841e1c59a4b3e7a06021e95c90760aaf&utm_campaign=TheSpin&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=spin_email

I see that Woakes has bowled now but so has Garrett. Do we know who isn't on the field today and so might be headed for Canterbury via Edgbaston? Lamb?

I agree about Bethell. He applied himself very well. As for Kai Smith, I thought he was quite nervous on the first morning but settled down with the gloves after that. But with Alex Davies arriving next year plus Benjamin and Burgess, we shall have more wicket keepers than you could shake a stump at.