John Chandless was a stalwart all-rounder with Cardiff CC who appeared in ten matches for Glamorgan spanning the period from 1911 until 1927.
His first taste of county cricket came during the Club’s Minor County days in 1911 when Glamorgan visited Trowbridge to meet Wiltshire. It was an inauspicious debut as John made a duck and went wicketless. However, he played in five further games that summer with his energetic fielding being a feature of his appearances. He and his brother Arthur also played in the match between a Glamorgan XI and Barry in 1915, with John getting leave from his military duties with the catering corps.
During 1920 John played his next Minor County Championship match for the Welsh county, against Surrey 2nd XI at The Oval. He appeared in two further matches that summer, each at the Arms Park, with his work for a local building society prevented him from making regular appearances at county level.
In 1926 John made his first-class debut as he played for Wales against Ireland at Belfast. He opened the bowling in the Irish first innings and claimed a trio of cheap wicket with his cutters. The following year, John also answered an SOS from his good friend Norman Riches to play for Glamorgan when other amateurs dropped out of the Championship fixture with Somerset at the Arms Park. John duly bowled a decent spell of off-cutters during which his nagging accuracy was rewarded with three wickets. Later that summer, he also played for the Welsh Cygnets against the 1927 New Zealanders at Llandudno.
CHANDLESS, John
Born – Cardiff, 21st August 1884.
Died – Whitchurch, Cardiff, 1st June 1968.
Best performances for Glamorgan:
In Minor County cricket – 20 v Buckinghamshire at Aylesbury, 1911 and v Monmouthshire at Swansea, 1911; 3/41 v Wiltshire at Cardiff Arms Park, 1920.
In first-class cricket – 2 and 3/13 v Somerset at Cardiff Arms Park, 1927.
| M | I | NO | RUNS | AV | 100 | 50 | CT | ST | |
| Minor County Championship | 9 | 9 | 2 | 77 | 11.00 | – | – | 3 | – |
| First-class | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2.00 | – | – | – | – |
| Balls | M | R | W | AV | 5wI | 10wM | |
| Minor County | 423 | 20 | 183 | 7 | 26.14 | – | – |
| First-class | 198 | 10 | 61 | 3 | 20.33 | – | – |