England’s batsmen and bowlers made the best of their two day warm-up game against Pakistan A as they continued to adjust to the sweltering conditions in the UAE.

Four English batsmen, including Joe Root in his first match since the fifth Ashes Test, made fifties as the tourists batted throughout day one before roles were reversed on day two.

Moeen Ali then took 3-41 from 22 overs to keep the hosts in check in sweltering conditions at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the venue for the third Test between England and Pakistan.

Ali, who got the first chance of the tour to provide Alastair Cook with another new opening partner, stepped out on the first morning after the England captain had won the toss.

The Worcestershire left-hander had made 22 before he top edged an attempted pull off Zia-ul-Haq into the hands of Eshan Adil.

Ian Bell, one of the five players to have toured the UAE before, joined Cook but the right-hander struggled in his first outing, trapped LBW for 19 by Zafar Gohar having also been dropped early on.

Root immediately looked at home at the crease but lost Cook at the other end as Gohar removed the England captain for 53.

Root breezed past his half century before retiring to give the lower order time in the middle but Ben Stokes (6) and Jos Buttler (1) both fell in quick succession.

A watchful Bairstow (66*) and Yorkshire teammate Rashid (51*) then utilised the rest of the day to take the visitors to 286-5 as the top seven enjoyed time in the middle ahead of the first Test on October 13.

On the second morning, Ali and Mark Wood made early inroads as Sami Aslam, Khurram Manzoor and Ali Asad were all sent on their way, Wood taking the first wicket of the tour courtesy of a one-handed diving catch from Stuart Broad at square leg.

Fawad Alam and Iftikhar Ahmed added 112 for the fourth wicket before Ali returned to dismiss the former for 55, Broad taking his second catch.

Ahmed was unperturbed though and despite losing Usman Salahuddin to the new ball, ending the match on 92* as Adnan Akmal quickfire 26 helped the hosts up to 216-5 from 32-3.

 

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