Chingford Cricket Club

A Review of the 1943 Season

Officers of the Club for 1943 were as follows:

Hon. General Secretary – Joe Jessop

Hon. Treasurer – C.Arkell

Hon. Cricket Match Secretary – Freddie Cheesewright

Hon. Team Secretary – Bernard Tucker

1^st XI Captain – Gordon Downes

2^nd XI Captain – Freddie Fedrick

To these men we are very much grateful for keeping the Club running throughout the war years. Meanwhile, in July, the Guardian reported that Chingford Cricketer Len Archer had bombed Hamburg.

Two Saturday elevens and one Sunday eleven were fielded and results were as follows:

On 29 May the 1^st XI inflicted upon Buckhurst Hill their first defeat of the season, bowling them out for 33 (Harold Pryor 6-12) and then going on to hit 267 in reply. On the same day the 2^nd XI had unusual opposition in the shape of Loughton and Buckhurst Hill 2^nd XI, fielding a joint side with both Clubs struggling for numbers in these difficult times.

The Wings for Victory Week Match saw Chingford meet Walthamstow and still lose despite bowling out Stow for just 91 – with Jock Harwood capturing an impressive 7-42.

A Guardian report on the 1^st XI match with Loughton on 17 July read as follows:

Chingford Cricket Club supporters have much to enthuse over during the war-time period. From the playing point of view some of their performances have been impressive, but none more so than their game on Saturday against Loughton. Batting first, the visitors made 186, and noting the home team were far from full strength, this looked formidable. Chingford opened with H. Pryor knocking up a brisk 36, and the followed some really delightful cricket by F. Beasley and D. Insole, who passed the visitors’ total by scoring 89 and 84 respectively. Both these batsmen are young and aggressive players, but Insole particularly took the eye. He is still in his teens and a pupil at the Sir George Monoux School, Walthamstow. Fours and sixes came with regularity against all classes of bowling, but the exhilarating feature for the onlookers was the snatching of singles by fine running between the wickets – altogether a masterly performance. No wonder Jock Harwood (captain of Chingford for this game) was proud of his juniors. It was brilliant cricket, executed in county manner.

The Red Cross Charity match against the Chinghoppers in June saw a comprehensive Chingford victory with half centuries from Doug Insole and Len Parslow leading the way.

Harold Pryor carried his bat in the Sunday match with Old Parkonians when having opened the innings, he was left marooned on 61 not out as Chingford were dismissed for 110 ! George Chapman also carried his bat for an unbeaten 47 as he watched from the non-strikers end a Chingford’s last 5 wickets fell off consecutive balls in the Bank Holiday match with Edmonton. Two days earlier George had scored 112 in Chingford’s total of 290-3 at South Woodford !

Overall, the leading run scorer was Doug Insole with 708 (which included 106 v Goodmayes) – whilst in the 1^st XI was Harold Pryor with 446 and top bowler Gordon Downes with 42 wickets.

Jock Harwood took 104 wickets overall, including an amazing 84 for the Sunday XI , with three 8 wicket hauls (including 8-22 v Goodmayes) and one 7fer.

Bill Adamson also had a good year, taking 27 wickets in the 2s at a cost of just 264. He also had three seven wicket hauls.

Gordon Downes also captured the season’s only hat-trick for the Sunday XI v No 3 District Met Police

At the end of the season the Club wanted the Council’s assistance to provide the labour in relaying the cricket table ends. The Club paid the estimate of £25 for materials.

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