The Teesra

Author: Andrew Beaven

  • Development squads in League cricket, bringing on the youngsters – can it work?

    Last Saturday, in an unscheduled break in our League programme, my home Club fielded a mixed XI against a “development team” from another local Club.

    We had an enjoyable game.  At least, we enjoyed the day, and the result; hopefully, the opposition enjoyed the opportunity to play on a 1st XI square, and the running commentary from one of our senior players – it seemed to go down OK.

    Most of the batsmen had the chance to bat, and the bowlers to bowl, and those who wanted to run around got to chase the ball around the outfield.

    Football on the big screen in the clubhouse, afterwards (why not the Test match highlights?), and I think it was agreed that we had as good a day of gentle cricket as we could have hoped for.

    But what is the point of a development squad, and should you play friendly or competitive games?

    (more…)

  • “People Make Glasgow” – first thoughts on the Commonwealth Games #Glasgow2014

    I have just returned from a stint as a volunteer “clyde-sider” for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

    Much of my time was spent doling out travel and event information to visitors to the Games’ venues, and generally pointing people in the right direction.

    So having spent the fortnight working directly with lots of people, I was particularly taken with the new Marketing-led initiative for the city, devised by the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau – “People Make Glasgow“.

    (more…)

  • Over rates…get on with it!

    “Get on with it!”

    All too often, as the over rate drops and the game drags, you will hear this cry from the stands, or the lone fielder stationed out on the boundary.

    I have railed against slow over-rates before, without ever setting out in any detail what I thought needed to be done. Shouting “get on with it”, whilst heart-felt, doesn’t actually help!

    Fines for slow rates, or penalty runs, can really only be applied when the game is run by independent match officials.

    So –  can anything be done by the players to speed up the game? (more…)