Wednesday 4 July, 2018 dawned bright and clear, the Ribble Valley lying open to the sun of this resplendent summer. Months in the making, the day had finally arrived for the historic T20 cricket match between the Stonyhurst College Gentlemen's XI and the Vatican Cricket Club (St Peter’s) XI. This was to be the first encounter between these two sides. The match marked the start of the Vatican XI’s 4th Light of Faith Tour of England, which would take in no fewer than seven fixtures, including the Royal Household at Windsor.
The cricket pitch at Stonyhurst, “the Flats”, is beyond the baroque walled gardens with its yew trees and summer houses and observatory. The entire panorama had never looked better, the pitch having been prepared with great care and attention and the pavilion having been restored with the generous support of the Stonyhurst Association. A crowd of several hundred people, including pupils from local RC school St. Joseph's, gathered to watch the proceedings. The crowd spread along the bank by the boundary – cars, picnic baskets, dogs – the tiled and half-timbered pavilion providing a refuge of shade and relative coolness for many. Opposite it, beyond the scoreboard, the land falls sharply away, so that behind the rim of the pitch you see the whole oak-deep valley open wide before you and the bare flanks of Pendle Hill rising beyond. A tremendous panorama of summer Lancashire and a wonderful performance of English Catholic identity.
The Vatican party looked striking in the solid yellow blazers of the St Peter’s Cricket Club, the tour managers sporting their blazers as well as clerical shirts and collars, the players donning their T20 kit of blue with gold trim. The Stonyhurst team wore specially-commissioned whites, emblazoned with the first ever Stonyhurst cricketing crest, reprised from the 1860s. The school motto is “Quant je Puis” – as much as I can –suitably humble for a Gentlemen’s XI facing a side under the official patronage of the Bishop of Rome.
The Vatican XI won the toss and chose to bat. White-shirted players spread over the field and the first blue and gold batsmen marched in, with the match commencing at 1:25 p.m. Stonyhurst’s Headmaster, Mr John Browne, declared it to be “the most beautiful of days.” Voices on the pavilion steps agreed, chortling that it hasn’t been like this since the summer of 1976. The first ball was delivered by Richard Drinkwater OS (Capt) to Father Elliott Wright, a native of England though resident in Rome these last eight years. Things moved along smoothly for the Vatican XI until the third over when Father Wright was bowled by Drinkwater for 6 with the total on 8, which brought Deacon Kapila Manjula to the crease to partner with the Vatican’s small but fierce Captain, Mr Sinoj Mathew. This saw the commencement of the second biggest partnership of the match, 77 runs in 54 minutes. Overs ticked past fast during this stand, with more than one ball cracked to the boundary, hurtling past the picnic to vanish into the hawthorn trees, scattering the sheep.
This period saw a rapid increase in the scoring rate, with Mr S. Mathew batting particularly well, with good support from Deacon Manjula, although it has to be said that the Stonyhurst XI did not do themselves any favours by dropping a number of catches! It seemed that a very high score was going to be posted. This was illustrated by the fact that the score moved from 20 for 1 at the end of the sixth over (a rate of just 3.3 runs per over) to 85 for 2 at the end of the fourteenth over (a rate of just 6.1 runs per over)! Excellent bowling for the Stonyhurst side by alumnus Lt Col James Ashworth OS ensured the prize stayed within reach.
The second wicket to fall was that of Deacon Manjula for 25 runs, who was bowled by Mr Damien Morley, a Master at the College, which brought Father Shena Fernando to the crease. A partnership of 10 runs ensued, before Father Fernando was also bowled by Morley for 7 runs in the sixteenth over. During a drinks break for batsmen and parched fielders one of the Vatican team played gentle football on the grass in front of the pavilion with a Stonyhurst player’s children: “come on, you be England and I’ll be Colombia.” Much orange squash consumed. One supporter was overheard to remark that he had not drunk so much orange squash since the aforementioned summer of 1976. A second voice added, “not since Emancipation, really.”
The incoming batsman was Mr Kiran Markose, who joined his Captain who was still batting beautifully. What turned out to be the last partnership of the innings added 43 runs in less than 5 overs over just 20 minutes. The Vatican XI's innings ended on 138 for 3 wickets with the Vatican’s Captain carrying his bat for an unbeaten 75 and Markose who was undefeated on 14, setting Stonyhurst a total of 139 runs to win. The Stonyhurst bowlers stuck to their task with Drinkwater returning figures of 1 wicket for 9 runs from 3 overs. Morley who took 2 wickets for 18 runs from his 2 overs and Ashworth bowled 3 threatening overs for 11 runs. A Stonyhurst player’s cheerful voice was heard from the pavilion, “if we’d thought of trying a little light sledging, we soon realised that the Vatican players are such nice people that we just couldn’t.”
After a short interval to allow the players to have yet more squash, the Vatican XI’s blue and gold players – athletic, highly responsive players – tightly deployed in the hot field. The Stonyhurst Gentlemen came out to bat with Sam Owen and Tom Wells opening. They got off to a relatively slow start, but gained momentum before Wells was bowled by Deacon Jomcy Mathew for 7 runs, with the total on 14. The incoming batsman Rhys Morgan and Wells stayed together for what proved to be the highest partnership of the match, putting on 80 runs together in 47 minutes. Dashing, go-for-everything batting, with skilled fast bowling alternating with a cunning slower bowler. A barrage of terrific spin from the Vatican bowlers was answered by these two batsmen with several balls clattered to the boundary, scattering the sheep yet again. A voice calls out from the back of the pavilion - “Father?” to be answered by a dozen amused voices asking “which Father do you mean?” At this stage, Stonyhurst edged slightly ahead of the Vatican XI and were well placed to win the game, increasing the scoring rate from 4 runs per over in the first 6 overs to 8 runs an over from the next 8. This all changed with the dismissal of Owen, who was stumped by Markose off the bowling of Manjula. Owen returns to the pavilion grinning, red-faced, applauded. Mr Matthew Wild was given out LBW for 0 off the bowling of Manjula, although the decision did appear questionable and could have been open to further “discernment” in the best Jesuit manner.
The new batsman was Mr Stephen Withnell OS, College Governor and incoming Director of Strategy for Stonyhurst. He ran out crossing himself with his gloved hand, much to the pleasure of the College Chaplain. He joined Morgan needing 45 runs off 4 overs. Captains orders were clear at this critical point in the match: “Now no Boycotts here, no playing to keep up your average.” More than 11 runs an over was to be a bridge too far, notwithstanding some attempted "big shots" by the batsmen and a strong chase. Second last ball and Withnell cracks one beautiful, graceful, dream of a shot to the boundary, “Boy’s Own Stuff” remarks one supporter. But it was not to be – Stonyhurst fell short of the target, losing by 16 runs, finishing with 122 runs for 3 wickets lost. The best bowlers for the Vatican XI were Deacon Jomcy Mathew who took 1 wicket for 20 runs from his 4 overs and Manjula who took 2 wickets for 17 runs, also from 4 overs.
This was a wonderful occasion enjoyed by all, which was made more colourful by the striped blazers and new kit worn by the Stonyhurst Gentlemen’s XI and the bright yellow blazers worn by the visitors. One notable and unusual occurrence was the fact that not a single catch was taken during the match, something one is unlikely to see in many years of watching, playing or officiating cricket. One for the statisticians.
Father Sameer Advani LC, one of the managers of the Vatican XI, summed up the fixture thus: “Our visit to Stonyhurst College was a fantastic way to begin our 4th Light of Faith Tour of England. We were extremely impressed by the strength of character and ability on display at Stonyhurst. We were also astonished and humbled by the richness of the history on display in the Stonyhurst Museums and Collections, surely one of the most wonderful teaching and learning resources of any school in the world. We will always remember the light of Stonyhurst and hope to one day welcome the team to Rome for a re-match. Cricket is the perfect way to bring different communities together, and we’re excited to continue promoting what Pope Francis has called ‘the culture of encounter and dialogue’ as we continue on our tour of the UK.”
Ian Goggin is Former Chairman of Mashonaland Cricket Association, Zimbabwe and Member of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union Board of Control
Professor Peter Davidson is Senior Research Fellow & Archivist of Campion Hall, Oxford.
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