Missed opportunity to secure openers berth for opening Test...
Monday 12 October 2015 12:10, UK
Moeen Ali was out twice and Alex Hales scored just nine on day two of England's final warm-up game against Pakistan A in Sharjah.
Moeen hit seven in the first innings, though did get to bat again later in the day, as both he and Hales disappointed with a spot alongside Alastair Cook in the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday up for grabs.
Ian Bell (53no) and James Taylor (45no) recovered things after the early wickets, adding an unbeaten 103 runs for the third wicket as England reached lunch on 118-2.
But after the interval, with both retired, England collapsed losing six wickets for 20 runs - Ben Stokes (0), Jos Buttler (eight), Jonny Bairstow (0), Adil Rashid (two), Liam Plunkett (one) and Samit Patel (eight) the batsmen to fall.
Back in came Moeen - a clue perhaps to England's preferred opener for the first Test in Abu Dhabi - and Buttler to try and find some much-needed form with the bat as England were allowed to bend the rules with their batting order.
Moeen fell for the second time in the day though immediately after the tea interval for 13, while Butler fared better second time round, ending the day unbeaten on 31.
To make matters more complicated, while Buttler was having a second knock, Taylor resumed his first and scored the five runs he needed to go through to fifty, before eventually out lbw for 61.
That wicket brought the day, and the game, to a close - a bizarre encounter in which the two teams agreed to bat a full day each, regardless of how many wickets fell.
Steven Finn possibly forced his way into the Test line-up, finishing with figures of 4-5 from 11 overs - with seven maidens - as England dismissed their opponents for 180 on day one.
Spinners Rashid and Patel took two wickets apiece, while Moeen and Plunkett each grabbed one. Rashid and Plunkett later added one more to their personal tallies in the hosts' second innings.
England's tour of the UAE to play Pakistan is live on Sky Sports, starting with the opening Test, in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday, October 13.
