8. #10 Andy Livett

After a run of young pretenders, another bona fide club legend takes the stage as founder member, reigning 3rd XI player of the season and the driest sense of humour in the club, Andy Livett steps to the plate.

A Goresbrook man through and through, Marv made his debut in the club’s first game in 1981 (becoming player number 4 behind Blanche, Harriss and Jones) and has been a fixture ever since, following Lawrence Walsh to 1,000 appearances in the 2015 season (the next 1,000 appearance man is a decade away) and residing in the club’s all-time top 3 in both runs scored (2nd) and wickets taken (3rd).

With the bat Marv is a man who sells his wicket dearly, the vast majority of his 17 tons coming as opener, usually in the anchor role. At his peak, Marv was relentless off his pads, a long stride down and across giving the bowler the hope that he was an lbw candidate before the ball was invariably worked between fine leg and wideish midwicket. Any width on the off side was firmly dealt with and a barometer of whether he was really good touch was whether anything full was despatched through or over wideish mid-off with a strong bottom hand.

Always more at home against the quicker bowlers, Marv can get tied down when the pace is taken off the ball, but few players in club history have been able to manipulate the strike better, Marv’s judgement of a run and pace off the mark are up there with the very best, when he's facing......possibly because he tends to save his energy when he's at the bowlers end.

Entering the autumn of his career, Marv’s stamina isn’t what it was, so although he’s still no Brendon McCullum, the 3rd XI loyals are treated to a few more shots from the off these days and although he has started to drop down the order to guard against frailties against the new ball, a rip-roaring 30 ball 50 at Winchmore Hill in pre-season when the pitch (and his assessment of the friendly looking bowling attack) were in his favour, show that the old dog still has a few tricks to play.

A 1st XI staple until the Matchplay lads started to come through in the mid-2000’s, Marv proved equally prolific as he eased down the sides, only Kurt Whisker matching his 4 league tons in the years that the ECCL cards were entered on Play-Cricket. Marv’s apex in the 2’s was the 2008 season when he achieved the rare (possibly unprecedented in club history) feat of carrying his bat for 111* and 106* in the two league games (both won) against Rainham 1’s.

With the ball, Marv asked plenty of questions of the batsmen and umpires (although rarely “are you ready for me to bowl?”) as he rattled through his overs off a couple of paces varying his pace and position of delivery to keep the batsmen off-guard, adding the odd observation to keep things interesting. Although dodgy knees have curtailed his bowling appearances for the last decade, he still had one glorious performance left in 2013 when he skippered the 2’s at Barking and after a Craig Irving ton and runs from the emerging Joe Curley and Billy Chapman took us to 292-4, the skipper entered the fray after early wickets for Gaymer and Forward and ran through the hosts with 6-18 (the second best figures in the club that season) to clinch a 196 run triumph.

Captain at various intervals throughout the club’s history, Marv skippered the 1's in the early years of their Morrant league voyage after incumbent Scott Barwick resigned mid-season and for a short while Marv held the record for the least number of overs played before leading his side off the field in a huff, after a disagreement over players umpiring led to the abandonment of our game against Hornchurch Athletic before a ball of the 2nd innings had been bowled.

Marv's protégé Mark Bird took the record in 2006 incidentally, leading his side off the field at Noak Hill after just 34.2 overs following a difference of opinion over the home side's interpretation of the lbw law. And the caught behind law. And the runout law.

Always keen to discuss the game over a beer afterwards, especially at Belhus, Marv is currently working with Jo Wilkinson to improve the silver fox's mental toughness ahead of his attempt to regain the Goresbrook Open Darts title in a couple of weeks time.

Batting

Bowling

Fielding

323 catches
21 stumpings

BASICS

Name: Andy Livett
GCC Number: 4
Nicknames Marv (Short for Captain Marvel, after a Dagenham Post headline following a stirring skipper’s performance) , Old School (By Bridge, although to be fair we could have a separate question for the names Bridge calls people, usually because he doesn’t know their real name)
Tekkers: RH top order bat, RA medium bowler, occasional wicket-keeper in younger days
Age: 54
Job: Probation Support Officer
Hobbies: Football, Cricket, Walking (although not after being adjudged lbw against Burnham), Reading, DIY

QUICKFIRE

Favourite Football Team: Tottenham Hotspur
Favourite Music: Any
Favourite Movie: Its a Wonderful Life. Great Escape. Sexy Beast. Goodfellas.
Favourite TV Show: Any wildlife or sports programme, not a big TV viewer.
Favourite Holiday Destination: Thailand. America.
Favourite Meal: Sunday roast.
Favourite Drink: Tea
Who would play you in the film of your life: Leonardo DiCaprio (Leo would portray the young Marv and I would pay to see the scene with Leo invading the pitch at Chelmsford after 12 pints, with Jack Nicholson taking over for the old sea-dog phase of his career)

GORESBROOK

When did you make your Goresbrook debut? 1981. (In the club’s very first game versus London Marshes)

Describe your Goresbrook career in 10 words or less. Great times, great laughs and utter gratitude for playing so long (Eleven words there for Marvel, always a man who likes to get the last one)

Who is your favourite GCC Teammate (current or retired) & why? Has to be Jack, heart of a lion, massive team player and brilliant laugh in the bar.

Most memorable game(s)? Roding Valley away in the cup late 90s, 128 not out chasing 257 in a 40 over cup game. 1985, 7 for 2 v Evergreen CC, first time I bowled a ball for the club, magic stuff.

Which GCC player do you hate facing in the nets? None (Unlike many senior players, Marv has always netted and indeed relishes the challenge of trying to bowl before the batsman is ready for the entire night. With the bat, his method of giving bowlers a blast whilst working them around a front pad planted squarely in front of all three is foolproof, removing as it does the only definitive method of dismissal indoors)

What’s the best thing about Goresbrook CC? Dressing room banter and its history along with the colts academy that has been created which will see the club playing and enjoying the sport way beyond my time.

CRICKET

What other clubs/XI's have you played for? None, only guested for a few

All-time cricketing hero? Ian Botham bowler, Steve Waugh batsman (I’m not saying Marv conforms to stereotypes here, but although he acknowledges Beefy’s bowling, he’s dismissed the batting of one of the most naturally gifted hitters in history in favour of a bloke who never smiled and who ground out his runs with relentless determination by eliminating the risky shots and focusing mainly on just scoring in his strong areas)

Favourite cricket ground & why? M&B Annex, quiet surroundings and lots of memories and runs.

Describe the best catch you have ever taken? Can’t remember that far back. (Back in the day the patented Livett crocodile catching method was as safe as houses under the high ball)

Best player played against? Lol, when he took bad advice from Jack and had the nerve to play against us for the opposition on tour. Scored a ton and we lost. The ultimate turncoat!

MISCELLANEOUS

Best sporting achievement outside cricket? Getting out of bed to play football on Sunday mornings with Jack tooting on the horn of his clapped out old Rover waiting impatiently for me to get me arse in gear. Survived the threatening stares and he spared me the right handers. (In fairness in Church Elm days, the right-handers were traditionally saved for the opposition)

Where would you live if money was no object? I would build a house next to the Annex, turn the square into a feather bed and then plunder accordingly whilst making full use of the bar which would be in my back garden.

What would you rescue first if your house was on fire? Wallet (this is news to many people, who weren't aware that he owned one)

Give us a sporting tip for 2017? Arsene Wenger to get the bullet

Tell us something about yourself that nobody at Goresbrook knows? The fingernail bought me a drink once.