KARACHI: Inspired by an 80 from Dawid Malan, England Lions roared back into their five-match unofficial Twenty20 series against Pakistan ‘A’ by chalking up a clinical 41-run victory in the second game under floodlights at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.

Malan, who was also the top-scorer with 51 in England’s defeat by seven wickets at the ICC Academy on Monday, blasted nine fours and a brace of sixes in a hard-hitting 56-ball innings to help his team collect 164-5 after Pakistan ‘A’ captain Junaid Khan elected to bowl first at the toss.

Pakistan ‘A’, in their chase, never seriously threatened to get close against a bowling attack that saw the Lions induct an extra seamer — Jamie Overton — in place of spinner Stephen Parry. Despite vice-captain Sohaib Maqsood and young Babar Azam adding 59, the home team mustered a disappointing 123 in 19.3 overs after being, at one point, 86-3 in the 14th over.

The 21-year-old Overton, twin brother of Craig Overton who missed out selection foor this tour because of an elbow injury, made the initial inroad when left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman failed for the second successive match.

Shahzaib Hasan also didn’t get going and fell to fast bowler Tymal Mills before Jake Ball got the third wicket, that of Iftikhar Ahmed, in a maiden first over to have Pakistan ‘A’ struggling at 27-3 in the 6th over.

Sohaib struck seven boundaries in a 34-ball 40 and Babar, who contributed a match-winning 53 in the first fixture, scored 35 from 31 deliveries while striking four fours. Liam Dawson’s left-arm spin accounted for both of them on either side of Mohammad Nawaz’s first-ball dismissal to lanky left-arm paceman Reece Topley.

Wicket-keeper Saifullah Khan Bangash’s nine-ball 13 was the only score of note thereafter as all-rounders Aamir Yamin (6) and Bilal Asif (5) went cheaply as the final four wickets fell in the space of seven runs, while Overton finished with an excellent haul of 3-26 in four overs, Ball 2-19 in 3.3 overs and Dawson 2-25 in his four.

Earlier, the Lions raced to 38 in four overs when their skipper, James Vince, was caught in the deep by Babar off left-arm seamer Rumman Raees Khan for 13. ‘

Tom Westley (9) was bowled by N spinning all-rounder Nawaz and Sam Billings also perished after making 14 from 13 balls when Iftikhar Ahmed removed him to leave England at 100-3 in the 14th over.

The impetus to their innings was provided by Ross Whiteley who lifted two sixes and hit another boundary in an unbeaten 29 from 20 balls to the Lions a decent total which eventually proved to be beyond the opponents’ grasp.

Rumman was the pick of the Pakistan ‘A’ attack with 2-28 but Junaid’s four overs leaked 40 runs and failed to take any wicket for the second game running.

The third match of the series was being played at the same venue later on Friday.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND LIONS: J.M. Vince c Babar b Rumman13 D.J. Malan c Aamir b Junaid80 T. Westley b Nawaz9 S.W. Billings c Fakhar b Iftikhar14 R.A. Whiteley not out29 B.T. Foakes c Fakhar b Rumman5 L.A. Dawson not out9 EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3)5 TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 164. FALL OF WKTS: 1-38, 2-69, 3-100, 4-134, 5-143. DID NOT BAT: J. Overton, J.T. Ball, R.J.W. Topley, T.S. Mills. BOWLING: Junaid Khan 4-0-40-1; Aamir Yamin 2-0-17-0 (1w); Rumman Raess Khan 4-0-28-2 (1w); Bilal Asif 4-0-27-0 (1w); Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-21-1; Iftikhar Ahmed 3-0-29-1. PAKISTAN ‘A’: Shahzaib Hasan c Overton b Mills8 Fakhar Zaman c Topley b Overton1 Sohaib Maqsood b Dawson40 Iftikhar Ahmed c Vince b Ball10 Babar Azam c Overton b Dawson35 Mohammad Nawaz c Billings b Topley0 Aamir Yamin c Whiteley b Overton6 Saifullah Khan Bangash c Billings b Overton13 Bilal Asif c Billings b Ball5 Junaid Khan run out1 Rumman Raees Khan not out1
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2)3 TOTAL (all out, 19.3 overs)123 FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-10, 3-27, 4-86, 5-87, 6-99, 7-116, 8-116, 9-118. BOWLING: Topley 4-0-19-1 (2w); Overton 4-0-26-3; Mills 3-0-25-1; Ball 3.3-1-19-2; Dawson 4-0-25-2; Malan 1-0-8-0. RESULT: England Lions won by 41 runs. UMPIRES: Ahmed Shahab and Shozab Raza. MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2015