Vatican City - In a match played in the shadow of a majestic 11th-century castle, the Vatican cricket team secured a hard-fought victory. On Monday, the Vatican team faced St Mary’s University, a Catholic institution in Twickenham, London.
St. Peter's Club, the official cricket team of the Vatican, is now a fully Keralite team. Initially, five Keralites were among the first to join this international team. Currently, the entire team consists of priests and students pursuing priesthood, all hailing from Kerala. The team is made up of nine priests and three clerical students.
Father Jose Eetulli from Changanassery serves as the captain. The other team members include Fr. Nelson Puthuparampil (Kannur), Fr. Jose Richus (Thiruvananthapuram), Fr. Prince Augustine (Kottayam), Fr. Abin Mathew (Pala), Fr. Joji Kavunkal (Chalakudy), Fr. Santo Thomas (Kannur), Fr. Paulson Kochuthara (Kochi), Fr. Ebin Illikal (Thrissur), Brother Ebin Jose (Idukki), Brother Jays Jamie (Kothamangalam), and Brother Ajay Poovanpuzha (Kannur). The team is coached by Australian Dane Kirby.
The game took place at the picturesque Arundel cricket ground on England’s south coast, located near Arundel Castle, parts of which date back to the 11th century and were once home to Saint Philip Howard.
As the Vatican team arrived at the pitch after a castle tour, the stage was set for an exciting match. St Mary’s had formed a special team for the occasion, including a player from the England Men's Deaf cricket team.
The Vatican team batted first, performing well and steadily, with an excellent final push bringing their total to 136 for 5.
St Mary’s responded with an impressive opening partnership that lasted until the end of the tenth over. However, once the Vatican took their first wicket, their bowlers increased the pressure, delivering numerous dot balls. The game remained tightly contested until the final over, with St Mary’s ultimately falling just five runs short, finishing at 131 for 5.
Building Bridges Through Sport
When Pope Francis recently met with Athletica Vaticana, the umbrella association for the Vatican cricket team, he emphasized the power of sport to “build bridges, break down barriers, and foster peaceful relations.”
This sentiment was echoed by Professor Anthony McLaran, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, in an interview with Vatican News between innings. He highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the players, saying, “We have so many people competing from different parts of the world, but they have in common their love of cricket and their love of the Church. That’s something to celebrate.”
History of the Vatican Cricket Team
Prior to the official establishment of the Vatican Cricket Team, an ad hoc Vatican XI played its first international match against the Netherlands-based Fellowship Of Oddly Odd Countries Cricket Club on 13 September 2008. This match, held at the Stadio dei Marmi on an impromptu pitch, saw the Vatican side scoring 107 runs for the loss of just one wicket, while FFOP CC was all out for 58 in a 35-over match. The Vatican's first cricket match took place in May 2008, a friendly game against Roma Capannelle Cricket Club, with the Serie A club winning the match.
In 2013, the "St Peter's Cricket Club" was formed, initially the idea of Australia's ambassador to the Holy See, John McCarthy. The club's mission was to recruit players from among the "300 seminarians and priests housed at Catholic colleges and seminaries around Rome," thus not limited to Vatican City citizens. The most talented players were invited to join the Vatican Cricket Team, or "the Vatican XI". The Vatican plays its home matches at the Roma Capannelle Cricket Ground, the only international cricket ground in Rome.
The Vatican Cricket Team was officially established in June 2014, with the initial squad consisting of "priests, deacons, and seminarians," primarily recruited from India, with some players also selected from England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The team is sponsored by the Dicastery for Culture and Education and supported by members of the Papal Orders of Knighthood.
Upcoming Match Against the King's Team
The following day, the Vatican team visited the Chapel Royal, King Charles’ personal place of worship, for an ecumenical service. This visit was part of the preparation for their next match, scheduled for Wednesday, against the King’s XI at Windsor Castle.
Chris Trott, the UK Ambassador to the Holy See, attended the service and remarked that the upcoming match would be both ecumenical—given King Charles is the head of the Anglican Church—and international, as it involves two sovereign states. Ambassador Trott noted that this event highlights the fascinating and complex history of relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom.