At Windsor Castle, the Pope’s cricket team clashes with the King’s
Pope Francis and King Charles send messages before a match between their respective cricket teams.
By Joseph Tulloch – London
On Wednesday, the Vatican cricket team visited Windsor Castle, home to King Charles and various members of the royal family.
There they faced the King's XI, a cricket team made up of members of the monarch's household.
The match was the highlight of the Vatican team's 'Light of Faith' tour of Britain – their tenth overseas trip since their founding in 2014 – which also saw them take on the England senior team and St Mary's University.
Vatican team gathers in prayer before match
A tense match
In this match, a slow wicket meant that the ball remained low, causing problems for batsmen on both sides.
Vatican, who opened the scoring, lost a couple of quick wickets and had to settle for a final score of 98 for 8.
They immediately hit back, however, dominating their opponents. After three overs, Vatican had taken three wickets and restricted their opponents to seven runs.
Vatican kept up the pressure until, after twelve overs, the rain started to fall, causing problems for their bowlers. A solid partnership with six wickets down allowed the King's XI to accumulate the runs.
The eighth and ninth wickets fell in the nineteenth over, and the match was tied. In the end, in the last over, the King's XI managed to get over the line, finishing on 99 for 9.
The match at Windsor Castle
Messages from Pope Francis and King Charles
Before the match, Father Eamonn O'Higgins, the Vatican team manager, read a message from Pope Francis.
The Pope extended his greetings to both teams and expressed his hope that the event would be an opportunity to “build bridges of fraternal solidarity, promote Christian unity and advance generous charitable initiatives.”
King Charles had also prepared a message for the occasion. The monarch noted that this was the fourth match between the Vatican and a royal team and said he was “delighted” that the two teams had “once again been brought together by the love of cricket”.
Noting that the Vatican is the “defending champion”, having won the previous match, the king added that he was “eagerly awaiting the result!”
Vatican players visit Windsor Castle ahead of match
Sport: Diplomacy in a Divided World
Father O'Higgins also presented a letter and a medal to Sir John Spurling, a British businessman and patron of the Vatican cricket team.
The letter, written by Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça – prefect of the Vatican dicastery that oversees the cricket team – thanked Sir John for his “extraordinarily generous” support.
The cardinal then stressed the importance of the team's “sports diplomacy” in the context of what Pope Francis calls a “third world war in several phases.”
It is a theme that Chris Trott, the British ambassador to the Holy See, also took up in an interview with Vatican News.
He said the match had “great resonance” on many levels, both political and religious.
“Sports is a way to build friendships and overcome obstacles,” the ambassador said, “and this match is a great example of that.”
