Denly and Tredwell feature on opposite sides as the Lions beat England

By Sam Dixon

Kent team-mates Joe Denly (pictured) and James Tredwell came head to head today as the senior England team took on the Lions in a Twenty20 match, in Abu Dhabi, and it was the young pretenders who grabbed a last gasp victory as Michael Lumb hit the final ball of the innings for four to seal a nerve-jangling five wicket success.

Denly took his place at the top of the senior batting line-up but made only four as Middlesex quick Steven Finn had him caught in the deep inside the first over. Tredwell returned none for 25 off three overs in the middle period; however it was fellow spinner Adil Rashid who took all the plaudits taking three for 22 including the prize scalps of skipper Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen as England made 157 for six from their allotted overs. The Lions reply was clinical as Craig Kieswetter continued to press his claims for a call-up to the senior side. He cracked 81 before Lumb performed his heroics in the final over to earn a slender victory.

After Denly“s early departure, Jonathan Trott and Pietersen started to play their shots before the introduction of Rashid turned the innings. Firstly Steve Kirby had Trott caught behind for 24, then Rashid began to turn the screw. Firstly, Collingwood was caught in the deep by Chris Woakes; attempting a maximum and then Pietersen followed in his next over as Woakes pouched his third catch of the innings. Rashid finished his spell by trapping Eoin Morgan leg before for just three, England had fallen from 46 for one to 68 for five inside five overs.

In the end it was all down to Sussex duo Matt Prior and Luke Wright to produce the fireworks at the end as, ably assisted by Tim Bresnan, they added 89 runs in the last eight overs. Wright bludgeoned 42 off 21 balls, including two sixes, whilst Prior chipped in with 33 off 22 balls to leave the Lions with a chase of just under eight runs-per-over.

Openers Lumb and Kieswetter got the run-chase off to a scintillating start. So often on the tour, it has been Kieswetter blazing away but on this occasion he was happy to go at a run-a-ball as Lumb provided the big-hitting. They reached 81 for none at the half-way stage, with the Hampshire man making 40 off 26 balls, including two sixes. Kieswetter was going steady on 36 from 34 balls. Lumb was then forced to retire hurt bringing captain Andrew Gale to the crease as Kieswetter went onto to complete another half century – his third of the tour before Gale fell to Stuart Broad for two. Test-player Ian Bell also came and went for just one, caught behind off Wright before former Kent batsman Michael Carberry joined Kieswetter at the crease as the pair were set 42 runs to win off the final five overs.

Runs were hard to come by in the next couple of overs and as the required run-rate crept up, Ryan Sidebottom ended Carberry“s short stay as he was dismissed leg before for eight leaving the Lions requiring 30 runs off the final three. Lumb was able to re-join Kieswetter at the crease and instantly boundaries began to flow again. The pairing brought the equation down to a challenging 14 runs from the last over, but the Lions would have to do it without Kieswetter as he was dismissed by the final ball of the 19th over by Sidebottom ending his 66-ball stay at the crease.

Wright looked to have kept his composure as he took out another former Kent player, Peter Trego, with his first ball leaving Lumb with an uphill task. He proved he was up to the challenge as he reached his fifty before hitting the final two balls of the innings to the boundary to seal a memorable win. Tredwell was non-striker for the final over as Lumb finished off with an unbeaten 58 off just 35 balls.

Picture:Getty Images