Sam Billings leads England Lions to UAE warm-up win
Thursday 14th January 2016
Kent wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings led England Lions to a comfortable five-wicket win against a United Arab Emirates XI at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
Billings won the toss and decided to bowl first in a side that included county colleague Daniel Bell-Drummond.
The United Arab Emirates scored 210 for 9 wickets off of their 50 overs with Mohammad Shahzad scoring 46 off of 81 balls and Mohammad Usman 34 off 46 balls.
Somerset’s Jamie Overton and Hampshire’s Liam Dawson were the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets each with Billings and Bell-Drummond claiming a catch apiece.
In reply, Bell-Drummond played the anchor role with 28 off 42 balls as his partner, James Vince of Hampshire accelerated the scoring.
Vince scored 88 off 93 balls before Essex's Tom Westley saw the Lions home with 57 off 73 balls.
England Lions' next fixture is a second warm-up match on Saturday (January 16)at 5;30am GMT before the five-match series against Pakistan A starts next week.
See Sam Billings and Daniel Bell-Drummond in action next summer