On Saturday 17th September, a group of Imams and Vicars from Dewbury and Batley came together to contest an inter-faith cricket match dubbed ‘Love of the Roses‘ in a show of friendship and community cohesion.

Two teams of holy men from churches and mosques in Dewsbury and Batley went head-to-head to show that religion and appearance was not a barrier against friendship.

This match is the latest friendly in a series of light-hearted Christian-Muslim ‘grudge’ matches, organised by Dewsbury community group Kumon Y’all, after the Imams’ team beat the vicars in a football match.

Maulana Farook Yunus, who runs Kumon Y’all, said:

The aim is to show that people are different in looks and belief but can still be friends and enjoy each other’s company. We have made lots of friends in events like these and we build on these friendships afterwards.

The 11-a-side cricket match took place on September 17 at Mirfield’s Monastery and included free food, Archery and a bouncy castle for children.

The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Tony Robinson, announced that he would also be participating in the match.

Maulana Yunus also added:

“It is very important to bring people together especially nowadays as people drift apart and don’t mingle as much as they used to. Sport is very effective in bringing people together and we at Kumon Y’all will use whatever we can to create better understanding and peace between communities.”

He said previous inter-faith friendly games had led to players who met organising a litter pick in Dewsbury Moor, archery sessions in Thornhill, Dewsbury, and a talk in Staincliffe, Batley, about how communities can live together in harmony.

Sources: Kumon Y’all / Batley News