Last weekend clergy from across the Diocese and Imams from Dewsbury and Batley joined forces once again to help promote diversity and unity through sport in their local community, and the news has gone global!
The teams joined for a friendly game of cricket after the success of July’s football match, which gained coverage on BBC’s The One Show and has been discussed across the world.
Revd Mark Umpleby, Associate Priest of St Paul's, Hanging Heaton, St Thomas, Batley, All Saints, Batley and St Andrews, Purlwell, says, “A local Muslim friend told me that a friend of his had recently visited Pakistan.
“The visitor from the UK had not heard about the previous football game shown on the BBC One Show, but was told by his host in Pakistan that ‘Vicars’ and Imams were playing football together in Dewsbury.
“The story of faith community leaders coming together to play football, and all it means, has reached Pakistan!”
The game last weekend succeeded in strengthening the sturdy bonds between these religious communities, building on the work continued through July’s football match.
The Revd Mark Umpleby says, “The event in Dewsbury was a great fun game of cricket on a beautiful sunny day.
“It brought together ‘Vicars’ from around the Diocese and Imams from Dewsbury and Batley. It was a real opportunity for both teams, and those who came to watch, for so much more than cricket.
The Rt Revd Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield, adds, “Following our rather poor performance on the football field in July, the clergy team showed their expertise playing cricket against a local team of Imams and winning.
“It was a great event where people from both communities were able to share food, talk and learn more about each other.”
The Revd Brunel James, Incumbent in Cleckheaton, comments, “In the current anxious atmosphere the clergy can play an important role in breaking down fear of 'the other' and holding up a more hopeful vision of the future.
“This event was just one contribution to a wider process that I hope every parish will find a way of taking part in.
“My churches are now following the cricket match up by getting involved in helping refugees from Syria.”
He adds, “I am hoping that the clergy cricket team will take this match with the Imams up as a new 'end of season tradition' after the annual summer clergy cricket cup has run its course.”
The game was an 11-a-side match with each player batting for two overs and bowling two overs.
Revd Mark Umpleby explains, “The event was a great success and the fact that I do not know the score from the game says so much about what the event was about.”
With the final score reaching Vicars 113 and Imams 42, Revd Mark Umpleby mentions, “I know that the Vicars team scored more runs but that is one of the least important ‘results’ of the day in Dewsbury - the score was so insignificant.”
The game was organised by Kumon Y’all, the community cohesion group. There was a bouncy castle and archery at the ground to keep the children entertained, as well as a variety of home-made samosas and onion bhajis, cooked on site, to keep spectators satisfied.
Farook Yunus, who runs Kumon Y’all, says, “What a fabulous day! Fun, food, sun and brilliant people to share with.
“On the day we had a group of youngsters talking to people that came about how communities have drifted apart and what we should do.
“This is part of our work of collating information from people and then using that to bring people together.”
He adds, “We had a really good feedback and look forward to some of our sessions with young people on making some action plans.
“We also met people from three different areas and we are invited to do some work with them. I think this is a very good way of uniting communities.”
Revd Mark Umpleby mentions, “We were able to share conversations, laugh together, hear stories , break down some misunderstandings, eat some amazing home cooked food, and learn from one another and laugh some more.
“We were also able to show those that came to watch from communities in Dewsbury, Batley and around the Diocese (and those that hear about the event) - that Imams and Vicars, and all associated with either faith, can be united in sharing common humanity, celebrating diversity and our common values, and love of God and one another.”
To find out more about the success of the day, please visit the Cricket Yorkshire website here: http://cricketyorkshire.com/2974593/
Kumon Y’All have also created a video of the event, available to watch on Youtube here: youtu.be/kuFOG-x3mWY