Sir, – Reading Johnny Watterson's piece "Whole new ball game"(Sport, May 29th), I was reminded of my teenage years in Belfast when club cricket was actually played in the Falls Park. The teams travelled from across the city and played, not on the GAA pitch, but on a cricket pitch, situated opposite the outdoor swimming pool, known locally as the "cooler" because of the prevailing icy temperatures in the water. Indeed, these games prompted the arrival of local teams from the streets adjacent to the park. We played with the minimum of equipment but always very seriously, with bats, stumps and a proper cricket ball but without whites, pads or helmets. Sadly the "Troubles" arrived and cricket disappeared forever from the Falls Park, never to return. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN McDONALD,
Terenure, Dublin 12.