The Viable Systems framework of Stafford Beer (1979, 1981, 1985) is well regarded as being capable of providing valuable insights to organisational effectiveness and guidance for organisational design (Brocklesby, Cummings and Davies, 1995; Espejo, 1989; Jackson, 1989). The variety of organisations and activities to which VSM thinking has been applied is considerable, spanning for example, the organisation of ancient Athens (Cummings and Brocklesby, 1993), national government (Beer, 1989), strategic planning (Brocklesby and Cummings, 1996), information systems strategy (Schumann, 1990), project management (Britton and Parker, 1993), training and tourist organisations (Britton and McCallion, 1989; Flood and Zambuni, 1990). Whilst the work of Cummings and Brocklesby (1993) was historical and interpretive, the other works reflected case studies of attempted intervention. This paper, like Cummings and Brocklesby, is also interpretive, in that it seeks to use the Viable Systems framework to assess the rationale underpinning, and the characteristics of, the recent restructuring of a national sports organisation, New Zealand Cricket (NZC).