Vatican cricket team defeats all-Muslim Mount CC in Rome

Rome: In a first for world sport, the Vatican cricket team took on an all-Muslim side from England at Rome on Sunday, with the home squad clinching narrow win in the final minutes. “It is not about who wins or loses,” priest Eamonn O’Higgins, manager of the Vatican team told AFP, after leading the enthusiastic players in a prayer and rousing hymn on the bus journey to the match. “It is about building bridges between different faiths through cricket,” he said as they arrived at Rome’s Capanelle cricket ground. The Muslim Mount CC team landed in the Italian capital Thursday and were treated to a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums prior to the match in the hot Roman sunshine. The two teams were also set to dine together and attend mass at the Vatican on Sunday.

“The hospitality has been outstanding and it is such a honour to be here,” said Hanif Mayet, Mount CC’s chair. He founded the club in 1976 after claims of racism in Yorkshire in northern England made joining an all-white cricket club an almost impossible task.

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Been a great game so far played in great spirit between @MountCricket and @VaticanCricket #CricketForFriendship pic.twitter.com/RZGmSe3a0E

— Mount Cricket Club (@MountCricket) October 17, 2015

Desperate to play, Mayet put together a team with friends. “Thankfully, nowadays attitudes have improved greatly and where we live, racism is no longer a problem. Our club is also open to everyone, we don’t discriminate, but it has remained predominantly Muslim,” he said.

“Today we have realized one of our dreams to play against a team composed of Muslim friends,” said Pratheesh Thomas a member of the Vatican team and a seminarian.  Mount CC has no intention of stopping here: Abeda Rajpura, ladies patron of Mount CC, said that the team had started cricket training for girls.

“It such a fantastic opportunity. It shows how cricket can break down cultural boundaries and we are so immensely proud of the fact that a team from Batley in Yorkshire is out here,” said Philip French, director of public policy and international relations at the ECB.

French said he hoped the Vatican team would come for a return match next year — and if all goes well it could take place at Yorkshire’s home ground of Headingley.