Cricket is the unifying force
CRICKET LONDON Maccabi Vale chairman Alex Haffner described the Festival of Unity Interfaith Tournament as a resounding success.
LMV took on an Archbishop of Canterbury XI and the Refugee Cricket Project in a two-day competition, held at Rowley Lane.
The honours were shared on the opening day, when Grant Reingold and Adam Brand registered half-centuries for LMV in a narrow victory over the Archbishops’ team. But there was a role reversal later in the day as a hardhitting century led the Archbishops’ side home.
The action continued the following day, with the Refugee Cricket Project, run in partnership with the Change Foundation, beating LMV and the Archbishop XI.
Haffner commented: “It was wonderful to be part of the Festival of Unity and for London Maccabi Vale to be involved in a unique event showcasing how sport can be a catalyst for interfaith relations.
“Maccabi London and the Rowley Lane Trust have created a fantastic venue for Jewish sport to thrive, and as this week’s event demonstrated, a place where people from all walks of life and religions can participate and share in the sporting experience.”
Refugee Cricket Project leader Antonia Cohen said: “We were delighted to play in this interfaith tournament. Cricket has provided a significant number of our individuals with many benefits and opportunities. The warmth and respect they are often welcomed with on the cricket pitch, where they are seen as players rather than refugees, means an enormous amount to them and at the same time playing cricket has provided an almost unique opportunity to introduce them to the diversity of the UK and its communities.”
The Reverend Canon Mark Poulson, who is secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury, described the tournament as a “triumph of vision, enthusiasm and determination”.
He said: “The significance of members of different faith communities being prepared to join together in the pursuit of the joys of cricket cannot be underestimated.”