A Review of the 1959 Season
The toilet block behind the pavilion, which survives these days as the Groundsman’s store, was the masterpiece of Rex Stubbings and completed in 1959 being financed by The Square Cut Society.
It looks like relations with the Council were at a high with The Mayor, Councillor G H Smith watching the 1st Eleven match v Wanstead while a game on 13 September v The Mayor’s XI was in honour of the Borough’s “Coming of age celebrations”.
The First Eleven won ten games, the Second Eleven twelve, the Third Eleven fifteen and The Sunday A Eleven won ten.
Ken Dowding yet again passed the 1000 mark (including a century v Winchmore Hill) and two younger members, Bruce Vickers and Robin Hobbs scored maiden hundreds. Bernard Earl scored 107 for the 1st XI against North Middlesex.
Ted Sandrock (or Ernie as the Guardian referred to him! – Ted still remembers this) hit 212 runs in one weekend including an unbeaten 122 v Old Brentwoods.
Buddy Jessop and Ron Lynch were the most consistent wicket takers and both were selected to represent the Club Cricket Conference. Buddy played four times for the Conference in 1959, including a 2 day game against The Army and was awarded a Conference Cap. The only previous Club members to have achieved this were Len Parslow and Don Spencer. Buddy also turned in one of the best bowling performances of all time in the August Bank Holiday match with Woodford Wells where he took an amazing 7-8 from 10 overs to have The Wells all out for 30! He also took 8-33 v Enfield for the Sunday As.
In the Sunday Bs slow bowler David Jones captured a magnificent 8-74 in the drawn game at Loughton.
Reporting on Chingford’s season The Essex Annual states “A promising 16 year old leg break bowler was discovered in R. Hobbs who was promoted to the 1st XI during the latter part of the season.” Robin turned in some superb performances including 5-17 v Finchley, 5-60 v Highgate 6-25 v Southgate and 7-48 v West Essex.
The Secretary’s Report stated:
I have been specially requested to bring to your notice the fact that for some years our Extra 3rd XI has been without a regular umpire. Now this XI is rather an important XI as most of our Colts commence their cricket career in our Club in this side, and so often these early days have a great bearing on their future……..I am assured that a car lift is guaranteed so what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.