Pope Francis's St Peter's XI to play against Church of England with bats made in Australia

Pope Francis Getty Images

Pope Francis's cricket team will now have bats manufactured in Australia. A team of Vatican City (headquarters of Catholics and world's smallest country) priests, St Peter's XI will face Church of England in Rome in October in an exhibition match. Victorian bat manufacturer Ian Callen said, "They were beaten by the Archbishop of Canterbury's XI last year in England and I suggested that that was because they weren't using [Australian] timber." Australia's ambassador to the Holy See, John McCarthy took the advice of Callen and had conducted and managed inaugural match that took place in 2014. The bats have been enhanced and the bat making industry in Australia has improved since then. READ: Kevin Pietersen s friend Piers Morgan to be elected Pope in August following Ashes 2015 result!

In a conversation with ABC News Online Callen said, "He [John McCarthy] came up with the idea when he was appointed... that the Pope should have a cricket team. When the bats had to go they had to be blessed. Father Julian [Langridge] came out and we had the local school come out and they wrote compositions to the Pope explaining the game of cricket to him... We've virtually resurrected it [bat-making industry]- probably improved on it because we've got more people who can make bats. Each bat maker now will compete in his own community and will service his own areas." Callen, a former cricket player played in only one Test match for Australia; he entered bat manufacturing industry once he stopped playing the game. ALSO READ: Vatican launches own cricket club

Meanwhile Clare Johnston, a former player who is now trying her hand at bat-making, said it was an exciting challenge. "I'm not sure if the Pope will actually be using them but certainly the team will be. It's really lovely... just feeling the timber and understanding what goes into making a bat. When you actually make one it's just fantastic."