For three generations, the Foster surname appeared at the top of the bowlers' list for the Easts first grade team.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Don was tasked with taking the new ball in 1962 when he made his A-grade debut for the club.
His son, Matt, followed suit in 1989 when he lined up as a 15-year-old to open the bowling in the top tier team.
Fast forward to 2019 and the tradition has continued with Matt's son Mitch making his debut in round one of the current season against City.
Don's journey began with the club after a standout season with the now-defunct Waratahs in B-grade.
He took a massive, and rare, 105 wickets for the season and was told he had no option but to make the move to the top grade for the following season.
SEE ALSO:
However, the Waratahs couldn't guarantee he would get to bowl.
His friend, Jimmy Reid, was playing for Easts at the time and heard about Don's predicament and encouraged him to make the transition.
"I never forgot his kind words, he said 'you come to me and you will get the new ball every Saturday with me,' which he did 'and you will get enough bowling, you will probably be sick of it. Week after week you will get a lot of bowling,'" Don said.
"I thought 'bugger the other mob' and that was it, I went to Easts.
"Jimmy Reid and I bowled together for many years.
"I do remember the first time we met up with the [Waratahs] A-grade side, I did get a few wickets and I never said much but I was very pleased inside."
Don spent 18 years steaming in with the new ball and his love for the club was passed on to his son, Matt.
After making his debut in 1989, he continued to open the bowling until moving to Narrabri in 1996.
"I opened the bowling for six years and then came back in a second stint in the back-half of my career and didn't bowl for the club again, I came back as a batsman," Matt said.
He retired temporarily after his second stint until his sons, Lachlan and Mitch, started to show some promise.
"They got serious when Mitch was about 15 and said 'will you come and have a game with us dad?'" Matt said.
"I said 'I am retired but if you get serious, I will play.'
"I came back and played with Lachie and Mitch in third grade for a couple of years.
"Once they started moving up, it was time for me to retire again."
Mitch's first grade career began on October 19 against City where he took a tidy 1-31 off his eight overs at the batsman-friendly The Armidale School backfield.
While he is proud to follow in the two older Foster men's footsteps, he admitted he doesn't feel any added pressure.