Magnificent Marv Hits Hundred

Red hot Andy 'Marv' Livett lit up the Annex as Goresbrook 4s won their fifth game in six on Saturday afternoon. With the game surviving the onslaught of around an inch of rain two hours prior to the scheduled start, captain Keith Maund finally lost a toss and was put in against Galleywood.

Goresbrook had much changed personnel from the previous week with promotions, holidays and work emergencies taking there toll but this allowed for the colts to come in and fill the void. Livett and Matty Jones opened the batting and Jones immediately went falling for a second ball duck to a well held catch after creaming the ball into the covers. Under 13 opener Adi Kumar replaced Jones and he, with the experienced Livett put on a stand of 113.

Surprisingly perhaps, Kumar outscored Livett. The youngster, on the back of 77 for the U13s the previous week again looked in fine fettle and scored nine fours in a superb fifty. Kumar, a studious young cricketer, looked at ease as he played front foot drives at will, finding many runs through mid off and the covers. His recent weakness of running between the wickets also looks to be in the past as he confidently called the experienced man through for quick singles, no mean task given 'yes' often seems to be the hardest word for Livett.

Livett was watchful at the other end but punished the bad balls as they came. When Kumar finally departed, bowled by Cockerell for 50 in the 25th over with the score on 113 Livett was still standing and he started to put his foot down, not a common occurrence for a batsman who has rarely flickered like a candle in the wind in the middle, traditionally preferring solid graft.

As the runs started to pile on, making room was the order of the day as Livett started to step away and middle the ball through the off side for boundary after boundary. When the bowlers tried to cramp him he simply swiped them through midwicket for many more.

Under 15 Dominic Gurden, back in after illness, settled into his innings with plenty overs left and started to hit some nice shots of his own before he was also bowled by Cockerell but not before Livett had brought up his century in magnificent style with a crushing pull through square for four to the applause of his team mates and scorer and club chairman Dean Barwick.

When Gurden went for 16 in the 33rd over Livett again stepped up his scoring rate having briefly been joined at the crease by Gillham Jnr who was dismissed for just four by way of a marginal lbw decision. Maund came in and the two veterans piled on the runs and agony for the waning 'Wood bowlers before the sun went down on Livett's career best innings as it was ended by a superb catch at extra cover off the bowling of Cockerell (Jnr).

Livett was in great form, enjoying time at the crease ini the autumn of his career and enthusing at the ability of the colts coming through the system, a cricketing circle of life...

Another Under 13 star Alfie Boland was next in and he smashed eleven off just six balls as Brook ended there innings at 265-4 off the full compliment of overs.

Following tea in a busy clubhouse Brook took to the field and opened with Gillham and Qasir Mumtaz. Mumtaz was an excellent find by the network of Goresbrook scouts and has been fantastic for the fourth team this season without higher recognition. Bowling in and outswingers at will with the occasional devastating slower ball Mumtaz has picked up a bag full of wickets already this season.

The student took the first Galleywood wicket, perhaps not his best ball but after controlling the opening batsman a lose delivery down leg was there for the taking but Steve Adams could only get a small amount of glove on the ball and the excellent Gillham Jnr took a tremendous catch diving full length down the leg side.

James Adams soon followed his father back to the pavilion, bowled as Gillham snr bagged his first before Syngleton went for a duck for the same manner from the same bowler who had subjected the top order to some hostile bowling.

Mumtaz grabbed his second wicket with a superb in swinger that John Gray had no answer to and the bowler had amazing figures of 2-2 from his opening six overs. Mower was next to fall with the total on 35, a slap into the covers was expertly fielded by Boland who's pinpoint throw gave Gillham Jnr all the time in the world to complete the run out.

As Bennett and Williams attempted to settle the innings down with 29 overs still the rain came. A ten minute torrential downpour was followed by ten more minutes of light rain to put the game in serious doubt. The outfield was damp as was the wicket but it drained out well enough for the game to proceed with the agreement of all parties.

Tahmid Khondakar and Jaden Simmonds, both under 13 had good spells without reward after the rain break while the visitors Bennett was more than happy to get back out there and have some time in the middle having stated that he'd had a poor season to date but he was the next to fall to youngster Kumar who now showed his prowess with the ball.

Kumar spins the ball both ways and moved one away from Bennett and through his defence for a fine 21. Radleigh followed, again same bowler, same manner. With time and light running out Maund turned to Matty Jones and the part time spin of Mumtaz to try and dislodge the tail, bowling tempting deliveries to try and entice the lower order batsman. A few chances came and went before Gurden was introduced. Despite suffering with his run up the under 15 seamer bowled with line and length from the off and deservedly bowled Cockerell with his fourth delivery.

Feltham soon followed, a fine nick off another jaffa from Gurden was comfortably taken by the younger of the two Gillhams behind the stumps before Alfie Boland was introduced at the Tom Thumb Lake end and his third delivery was popped up to short cover where Gillham snr took the catch and victory was sealed by 163 runs.

Last weeks victory was dramatic with a senior side in place but this weeks team with seven players in their teens showed the strength in depth that Goresbrook have accrued in recent years. The second wicket stand of 113 between a club stalwart and promising youngster shifted the game into Brooks favour and they never looked back.

Batting
Andy Livett - 138
Adi Kumar - 50

Bowling
Qasir Mumtaz - 12-5-24-2
Gillham Snr - 6-1-7-2
Adi Kumar - 11-3-16-2
Dominic Gurden - 3-0-15-2
Alfie Boland - 0.3-0-2-1