James Tredwell and Peter Trego star in opening victory

England Lions 184 for 5 (Lumb 42, Bell 37*) beat UAE A 132 for 7 (Sampath 33, Tredwell 3-22) by 52 runs
Scorecard

England Lions opened their three-week tour with a comfortable 52-run victory against UAE A, but it needed a three-wicket spell from James Tredwell and a tight burst from Peter Trego to restrict the home side after a rapid start from their openers as they chased 185.

Amjad Ali and Indika Sampath added 51 in 5.2 overs against the pace bowlers with Sajid Mahmood being dispatched for 19 from his one over and, as so often in Twenty20, it took the introduction of spin to slow the scoring rate. Tredwell, who will switch to the full England squad for the Bangladesh tour later this month, struck with his second ball to remove Ali (24) and also added Sampath (33) followed by Swapnil Patil, while Adil Rashid played his part with the wicket of Shaiman Anwar.

Trego then ensured there was no late charge from the hosts with a miserly spell of four overs that cost 14 runs and also brought two wickets. Trego, the Somerset allrounder, had early provided the late punch to the Lions innings with 25 off 10 balls including three sixes and was named Man of the Match.

He added 47 in 18 balls with Ian Bell who ended unbeaten on 37 from 21 deliveries. The Lions had opened the innings with two wicketkeepers and both Steven Davies and Craig Kieswetter scored at a good rate before Michael Lumb kept up the tempo at No. 3 with 42 from 32 balls.

The scoring slowed after Kieswetter and Lumb departed as offspinner Salman Farooq bowled his four overs for 18 and Rohan Mustafa also contained well as he conceded a run-a-ball. However, the Lions were able to press the accelerator in the closing overs in a performance that will have helped shake off the early-tour rust.