Chingford Cricket Club

by Graem Peters

Having won promotion last season, many players felt apprehension about meeting many other clubs in Division 1. The likes of Wanstead and Walthamstow had 2 sides in the top division and seemingly more interest in this form of the game. This was re-inforced by the lack of Chingford Summer 1st XI players willing to play indoors. Andy Perrin and Richard Alston were the exceptions but alas Richard never played due to problems with his foot operation.

Paul Hart again captained the side which nevertheless included a number of seasoned indoor players; John Woodland, Carey Harborne, Stephen Thorne, AP and himself. Added to this was Graem Peters, an experienced indoor player, playing his first winter season with the club and Ben MacGregor regarded already by many as virtually a 1st XI player.

One major change was in switching to the larger Peter May Centre, where the wide open spaces were likely to test the mobility of our more senior players. The side were not only playing in a different venue from their previous season triumphs, but also playing with a different ball. This ball was harder and came onto the bat better. The bowlers could not get any movement from it either.

The first match of the season, against Ilford was won. However, for the second win we had to wait until after Christmas. In between we found ourselves outclassed with the only remaining objective being to muster a losing bonus point here and there. This mustering turned out to be crucial as 4 sides near the bottom (including Chingford) all finished the season with the same number of wins. The few extra bonus points earned ensured that Chingford avoided relegation.

The star player of the season was MacGregor, who on the occasions he scored runs, made big scores, including one 50. Peters also had a couple of big scores, including a 50. Hart's batting was consitantly useful lower down the order. On the bowling front, Harborne and Hart struggled to perform effectively in the different conditions. The spin of Thorne and MacGregor was more useful. Our only real weapon was Perrin's pace and bounce which was unfortunately not available all season.

Incomplete scorecards and match reports can be found in the Results section.