Before the season started The Woodford Times of 17 April 1942 reported:
COUNCIL HELP CRICKET CLUB
Appreciation of the war time difficulties of Chingford Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, tenants of the ground at the rear of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel has been shown in renewing the club’s tenancy for the year 1942-43.
The club have written to the Council stating that for the last financial year the receipts exceeded the expenditure by £3 5s 2d and suggesting that this amount should be paid as rent to March 24, 1942 in addition to the £50 already paid to the Council. The club also inquired whether the Council would be prepared to let the ground to March 24 on the same terms as last year.
The Council agreed to accept the sum of £3 5s 2d and also decided: That the land be let to the club for a further period of one year to March 24, 1943 on the same terms as last year and that the club be informed that if circumstances arising out of the war prevent the playing of cricket the Council will on application being made by the club give consideration to making an allowance in respect of the rent
Captain of the Club was again Gordon Downes and two Saturday elevens and one Sunday eleven were fielded and results were as follows:
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Won
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Drawn
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Lost
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1st XI
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7
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3
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10
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|
2nd XI
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7
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2
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8
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|
Sunday XI
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12
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1
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9
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There could only be one contender for Player of the Year – Jock Harwood, who captured 148 wickets at a cost of just 1022 runs in 32 matches – an average of over 4 wickets a match ! Jock took 8 wickets twice – 8-22 v Ford Sports and 8-25 v Edmonton , and also took 7 wickets four times, 6 wickets 6 times and 5 wickets 5 times in a match. This must surely be a club record!
Bernard Tucker was the Club’s top batsman with 671 runs in total, and Gordon Downes captured 50 wickets
For the 2nd XI , C.Waples hit 305 runs (including the season’s highest individual total – 82 v North Middlesex) and took 37 wickets. With the ball, Bill Adamson was also in fine form with 34 wickets for just 239 runs in 11 matches. R. Starling took a hat-trick in the game with Unilever.
On 30 May the 2nd XI managed to bowl out Buckhurst Hill for just 29 – with Waples doing the damage, capturing an impressive 7-13. However, on 25 July, the 1st XI went one worse - bowled out for 24 by Brentwood.
On 20 September the Sunday XI entertained Fred Cheesewright’s XI and Harold Pryor performed one of as number of memorable bowling feats for the Club when he took nine opposition wickets to capture 9-47 and lay the foundations for a Chingford win.
The Red Cross Charity Match on Sunday 21 June was previewed by the Guardian as follows:
Mr Jack Church, the Chinghopper Cricket Club’s popular chairman is taking a strong team to Forest Side to play Chingford on Sunday for the Red Cross and the groundsman’s benefit, starting at 2.30pm
Among those included in Mr Church’s eleven is Morris Nichols, the county’s favourite all-rounder (who will no doubt benefit by this carefree cricket before playing in the combined counties game at Lord’s the following day). WMF Bebbington(the brilliant London Counties opening bat and wicket keeper), the promising young Essex batsman, Ray Heaven and Dr HM Forde the forcing West Indies opening bat. Jack Russell, the hero of so many Essex matches, is recovering from an illness and will be unable to take part in the game, but will be assisting Mr Church in the ground collection, Admission will be free. The team will be: JJ Church (Captain ) (Chinghoppers), MS Nichols (Essex), Ray Heaven (Essex), WMF Bebbington (London Counties) Dr HM Forde (West Indies), LW Snaith (Walthamstow) R Smith (Chingford), W Rowe (Walthamstow Thursday) H Fearne (Chingford), H Walters (Northcliffe Athletic), B Roper (Highams Park Athletic)
The match was a tight affair with Chingford falling 16 runs short of the visitors total – man of the match for Chingford being Don Spencer who scored 31 and took 5-18.