Sir, - Mr Conor Verdon (July 31st), says he was "bewildered and disappointed" by my "unfortunate and ill-judged" column of the previous Tuesday, which referred to the current difficulties being experienced by Old Belvedere Cricket Club. In turn, I am rather more than "bewildered and disappointed" by Mr Verdon's head-in-the-sand reaction; "gob-smacked" is a more accurate description.
My piece of last week was sympathetic to Old Belvedere and ended thus: "Here's hoping that next Saturday will be the start of another half-century of excellence, for the club and its members, on and off the field." Just how Mr Verdon can interpret that as "quite unhelpful" is, well, bewildering, as he might say himself.
But Old Belvedere is experiencing difficulties. Just one example: a walk-over had to be conceded in the current Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup campaign, which may well lead to suspension from Ireland's only all-island club cricket competition next season. The club's problems are well known among all Leinster cricket followers, apart from Mr Verdon apparently.
His hope that my presence at last Saturday's Cup Final would "elevate to a more authoritative position" was touching, since nobody connected with the club, Mr Verdon included, bothered to approach me to discuss my "ill-informed" article in the course of my eight-hour visit to Cabra. - Yours, etc., Karl Johnston,
Strand Road, Baldoyle