A Review of the 1978 Season
The 1978 Season was the last where Fixture Secretaries arranged their own League matches. This meant an unusual League programme compared to today’s mid-season block with several friendlies being played in July and August.
The 1st XI season under Bryan Hart was a difficult one with only 2 games won all season ,with 10 games drawn and 10 lost, despite the availability of Robin Hobbs for 8 games early in the season. In the main the bating struggled all season, including a disastarous 61 all out v Hadleigh. Skipper Bryan Hart hit a rare half-century in a swashbuckling innings at Ilford where he smashed 4 sixes in a knock of 53 that lasted just 35 minutes.
Top batsman was Graham Lord with 483 runs, including 96 v Westcliff (he also scored a century in the midweek game with Allwoodley) while Basil Swaby and David Rafis weighed in with 275 and 270 respectively. David Layton was best bowler (of only 10 used all season!) with an impressive 45 wickets @18.11 including 6-48 v Loughton and 6-55 v Upminster. Basil Swaby took 6 wickets at Bishops Stortford and ended with 27 wickets, while Bryan Hart captured 22.
In the 2s Chingford won 3 and lost 7 League matches. Ray Foliss top scored with 427 runs and Jeff Runciman contributed 383. Buddy Jessop bagged a half century of wickets in all matches.
The 3rd eleven book is missing, although we know that Tony Lenney hit an unbeaten 106 in the draw with Wanstead. The Extra 3rds under Phil Vass had a fair season winning 6 and losing six. Leading run scorers were John Briggs and Richard Hunt, while Richard McCormick and Stan Whitmarsh performed well with the ball. Andy Lewis turned in the season’s best figures with 8-21 against Old Parkonians.
He Sunday As under Dave Rafis managed 4 wins – Ray Folliss and Paul Cross were the best batsmen whilst Peter Joslin (28 wickets) and spinners David Layton (26) and Richard MacGregor (24) topped the bowling charts.
49 wickets from Ted Alston in the Bs took him to over 100 for the season (according to the B team scorebook) . This team won 5 matches with John Woodland, Jeff Runciman and Martin Kerr being the heaviest scorers. Man of the match awards were given with the winner on Sunday 17 September being “opening batsman” (!) Carey Manson Harborne
A number of midweek games were played including a prestige friendly against Bermuda Wanderers. The club dragged in Alan Lilley and Wiji to bolster up a 1st eleven standard side but we still lost by 84 runs , although John Holland captured 4-40