England set contrived target

Steven Finn

Published: 8:20am, 10th February 2012
Updated: 12:57pm, 10th February 2012

England found themselves needing 230 to win a bizarre match in Abu Dhabi - after bowling the Lions out for 96 in only 28.3 overs.

This warm-up fixture lost its List A status after England's second string failed to reach a competitive total on a fair pitch.

Captains and coaches on either side decided a chase of less than a hundred in 50 overs would serve little purpose for England's preparations for their one-day international series against Pakistan. They therefore simply agreed a new target, based on a perceived par total at the Zayed Stadium.

Jade Dernbach starred early on for England as the Lions struggled.

He almost instantly had three wickets for two runs, and the Lions never even hinted at a significant recovery.

Only captain James Taylor (30), who chose to bat first despite the early start, all-rounder Chris Woakes (32) and number 11 Jack Brooks (10) managed double-figures in a binary scorecard featuring four noughts.

Dernbach (three for 21) and Steven Finn (three for 28) proved lethal with the new ball, reducing the Lions to 14 for four at one stage.

It was thanks only to top-scorer Woakes and a last-wicket stand of 27, the highest of the innings, that England were kept waiting for long.

With Stuart Broad rested but Bresnan back, having been passed fit in the morning as he continues his recovery from an elbow injury, it was highly-encouraging for England that their bowling resources appear in such good heart.

The flip-side, though, was no evidence on this occasion that any of the Lions batsmen are ready for the step up if and when required at full international level.