Andrew Beaven
banner
theteesra.com
Andrew Beaven
@theteesra.com
Cricket - coach a bit, play a bit, watch a bit.

Mostly talking about cricket coaching, sports culture.

Blogging at theteesra.com

Opinions way above my pay grade!
“…there's nothing more stultifying, nothing more ignorant, nothing more destructive than certainty. It prevents progress. It prevents reflection. It leaves us in a world with dragons on the horizon and horses pulling carts.”
#Ashes #cricket #TheAshes
When you stop learning, you go backwards.
November 23, 2025 at 5:35 PM
“You Can’t Yell a Tomato into Ripeness”
From Loren Anderson on substack, on #coaching in an ecological system.
#SportsCoaching #EcologicalDynamics

1/2
You Can’t Fix a Living System, Part II
How to Coach What Grows
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Are pitches killing Test #cricket? Or making it more compelling?
The contest between bat & ball still thrives.
Time no longer a factor? 4-day Tests?
Less “attritional” cricket? Well that should be seen as a positive — why flog bowlers for 2 days, on the off-chance of a result on day 5?
Extreme pitches have minimised the chance of draws and levelled the playing field, but what about the contest between ball and bat, and between runs, wickets and time? bit.ly/4oF1RcB #INDvSA
November 16, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Who coaches the coaches? And can we do it better?

ECB Coach Development have been hosting a monthly online call for Coaches Association coaches this year, giving the chance to talk with peers about current coaching topics. The most recent call addressed the subject of “who coaches the coaches?" An…
Who coaches the coaches? And can we do it better?
ECB Coach Development have been hosting a monthly online call for Coaches Association coaches this year, giving the chance to talk with peers about current coaching topics. The most recent call addressed the subject of “who coaches the coaches?" An interesting call, but it perhaps opened more questions than it addressed.
theteesra.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM
This, from Loren Anderson via Substack, perfectly encapsulates why I believe in the #EcologicalDynamics approach in #coaching #sportscoaching
You Can’t Fix a Living System, Part I
The Machine in the Gym
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Interesting piece from Peter Della Penna on #USA #cricket .
Mis-steps, misunderstandings, and big opportunities.

Lessons for “big” cricket nations, too — looking at the ECB, and the ambition to “make cricket the most inclusive sport in England and Wales”.
“Putting the bat into a new player’s hands”
USA Cricket: 2025 Cricket Impact Summit & Expo provides insights, innovation, and a bit of backslapping
The inaugural Cricket Impact Summit & Expo, hosted by Cricket Impact Group founder Adam Hall, provided a gateway into the psyche of those firmly entrenched in the sport and those still desperately try...
www.dreamcricket.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Thanks
I would be interested to see what Dr Holey has published, but as a fan of the sport, not an academic.
West Ham, before the Custom House track was re-developed, then Hackney, now somewhere beneath the #V&AStorehouse in the #HereEast building on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park #QEOP
October 9, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Hi @elizabethammon.bsky.social
From your interview with Richard Thompson — any word on ICEC progress?
It’s a year since the last update, and I’ve seen nothing on the new coaching training & education programmes, nor (beyond the hubs) on work with harder-to-reach communities, state schools & clubs.
October 8, 2025 at 1:46 PM
The ECB wants to build 40 new “domes” — but is this really enough?
Does “making the game more inclusive” need mire than pitching new “tents” in fields?
#cricket #ICEC
The ECB wants to build 40 new domes — but will this be enough?
A couple of weeks ago, Richard Thompson, chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), was interviewed by Dan Roan of the BBC at the opening of the country’s second all-weather cricket “dome” in Darwen, Lancashire. With the (understandable) focus at the time on playing schedules in the County game and player workloads, the main story from the interview was how players were “exhausted” by an “unrelenting” schedule.
theteesra.com
October 7, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Fascinating from Beyond the Headlines on #IndvPak : India’s No.2 & No.3 can’t play with each other, and why Richa Ghosh is a fire starter, not a fire fighter (and why holding her back in the batting order is so much more effective, illogical as it might appear).

#cricket #cwc2025
Beyond the Headlines: IND's batting order is brilliant but disjointed
Beyond the headlines; IND v/s PAK, 6th game of the Women's World Cup.
open.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Interesting, from a selection of contributors to Tarutr Malhotra’s Best of #Cricket substack — in-depth analysis of today’s first match in the #CWC2025, going beyond the headline stats to identify where the game was won & lost.

More to come, over the course of the tournament.
#WomensCricket
Beyond the Headlines: IND forget how to sweep, SL's risky bet, & Rawal's big weakness
Beyond the headlines; IND v/s SL, 1st game of the Women's World Cup
open.substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A wonderful image, and a fascinating insight into Bedi’s technique.
“Finger” spinners traditionally tend to impart spin with two adjacent fingers; Bedi’s grip suggests that spin is being generated by his first and (bent) third fingers.
#cricket
This Ken Kelly picture of Bishan Bedi bowling in the nets before the 1st Test at Edgbaston in July 1979 is one of my favoutites - and was also one of Kelly's - and captures the elegance and poise as he prepares to bowl
September 25, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Now this, from Rolf Götz on Substack, rang true for me - on the experience of being a coach.
#coaching
#SportsCoaching
Nights, One Protégé, and the Question of Enough
A reflection written at night in Tirol, on coaching, corporate life, and one protégé who teaches me more than she knows.
open.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Rare (for me) 9am starts for #coaching in September - one-off appearance at autumn term groups yesterday, first round of trials today & next Sunday.
Gorgeous morning for the journey in...not spoilt by the unexpected closure of my nearest Tube line.
#CricketCoaching
September 7, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Fascinating look back through the “Overton window” to the turn of the 20th century, from @oldebor.bsky.social.

Professionals (and amateurs) turning down #cricket tours of Australia because the trip didn’t fit their career plans (or pay well enough)? Nothing new!
The Overton Precedent
How Some Things Never Change
open.substack.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Underway at Chelmsford.
Essex Women Vs Hampshire.
#cricket
September 4, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The future of #SportsCoaching really doesn't need to be "the cone cemetery"!

And the alternative?
"...designing practice that is the game. Small-sided, messy, decision-rich, alive."

Oh, now that sounds so much better!

#coaching
How Pretending to Coach Steals the One Resource Kids Can’t Replace
From theatre to transfer.
open.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
“The Future of Cricket ‘Fund’ was an announcement made by the previous Government, which was entirely unfunded.”
A question on #Cricket #Finance tabled by Mr Louie French on 22-07-2025 has been answered by Stephanie Peacock. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-07-22/69972
September 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Here’s one for you, @wgrumblepants.bsky.social
Tucked away in the hills at the edge of Victoria’s goldfields region, this village has a strong contender for the Prettiest Cricket Ground title.

With a gorgeous stream nearby, this seems like the kind of place that would have special cultural significance for #Wadawarrung peoples.
August 25, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Good win for the over 60s 3rds to set up a Vase semi final with neighbours Middlesex.
#SeniorsCricket
Now the #cricket adventure begins - Night Riviera Sleeper...
🚂🛌...🏏
August 19, 2025 at 10:54 PM
I do agree that bowlers should be given more leeway on legside wides (new ICC rules for ODIs), but I wonder if it needs to any more complicated than the Laws?
Modern batters have so many ramps & scoops & switch hits, I don’t think a ball even 9” outside leg will be hard to hit.
1/2
#cricket
How the new wide rule in white-ball cricket will make batters up their game
By giving bowlers a little leeway down the leg side, cricket will bring new skills and forgotten strokes into play
www.espncricinfo.com
August 18, 2025 at 5:43 PM
In support of #cricket #haiku week- a cricketing year in haiku

1 Pre-season anticipation

Pads in the attic
Bat needs linseed oil, new grip
Blackthorn in the hedge

[perhaps a little more traditional in form than @britishhaiku.bsky.social ]
First ball he misses,
Second he nicks, but third he
Slogs a mighty six.
August 18, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Watched the Invincibles vs Fire Women’s ‘dred yesterday, and just caught 5 minutes of Phoenix vs Spirit today.
I can understand the “square leg” umpire standing at backward square, but not when the review camera for run outs appears to be at cover?
#cricket #TheHundred
August 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This is good, on switching in to bluesky.
One thing I would add is to check out the (human curated) feeds - you will get to see a biased view of the world, but, hey, you can easily curate your own feed.
August 16, 2025 at 10:23 AM