After the success of the first Love of ther Roses fixture in 2016, a return 'Love of the Roses' cricket match will this weekend will see mixed teams of clergy and imams from either side of the pennines facing each other.
The return fixture will see a team of clergy and Imams from Yorkshire travelling to Clitheroe in Lancashire and go head to head in a T20 cricket match as part of a family fun day .
It is likely to be a highly contested match, say organisers, as the Lancashire XI try to win back the trophy won by the Yorkshire XI. The Yorkshire XI won the first match off the last over during the first Love of the Roses game in Mirfield in 2016.
Despite this desire to win, there will a great opportunity for friendships to develop both on and off the pitch as Vicars and Imams leave their churches and mosques to be part of the event.
The family fun day will see a warm up match of young people starting from 11.30am before the main match starts at 1.30pm. As well as the main match, the crowd attending will be able to enjoy free food as well as archery and a bouncy castle.
Revd Mark Umpleby, Parish Priest in Batley, Yorkshire said:
“It was highly contested cricket match but great fun in 2016 and I’m looking forward to taking the field again with other Vicars and Imams from Yorkshire as we come together to represent our great county against our wonderful friends over that hill in Lancashire. Despite this, we’ll love to join together and continue to grow our friendships and understanding of one another in Clitheroe. We hope lots will come to watch this fun and exciting game.”
One of the organisers, Molana Rafiq Sufi in Blackburn, Lancashire said:
“Sport is a fantastic tool and vehicle to make friends and bring people of different backgrounds together to create better understanding between people of different faith perspectives.”