Vatican cricket team edge St Marys University XI by five runs

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Source: St Mary's University

The Duke of Norfolk hosted St Mary's University and Vatican (St Peter's XI) cricket teams at the famous Arundel Castle ground for a T20 match last Monday, 1 July. This was the Vatican team's 10th Light of Faith tour during which they will also play a King's XI at Windsor and an England Over 60s XI.

The aim of the trip is to promote dialogue and friendship between the Catholic Church and the host country by spreading the message of friendship, unity, and gospel hope.

The Arundel ground famously hosted test teams on their first tour matches for many years and is one of the most famous grounds in the country - and, perhaps, the most beautiful.

The Vatican team, largely made up of priests from the Indian sub-continent, coached by an Australian and managed by Fr Eamonn O'Higgins, professor of philosophy from Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, set St. Mary's University a challenging 137 to win.

At the half-way point, St Mary's had reached exactly half the target. But, in the end, they failed by five runs. Despite the very high standard, the players did not cause any great problems for the umpires, Professor Philip Booth and Fr Raglan Hay-Will. Indeed, the spirit was such that, immediately after the game, there was already talk of a re-match in Rome.