Abid Ali, Usman Salahuddin show teeth as Pakistan A see off England Lions

Abid Ali and Usman Salahuddin masterminded an impressive run-chase, as Pakistan A chased down 312 to see off England Lions in the four-day unofficial Test match in Abu Dhabi.

Ali, who has made over 100 first-class appearances and made a hundred against New Zealand A earlier this month, top-scored with 113 while Salahuddin, who made his Test debut against England at Headingley last summer, made 74.

The game had been in the balance going into the final day, with the Lions fancying their chances of victory after enjoying the better of the first three days, thanks in particular to Joe Clarke's second-innings hundred in a total of 266.

But, despite Jamie Porter trapping Khurram Manzoor lbw with his first ball of the run-chase, and Mark Wood trapping Shan Masood lbw for 11 soon afterwards, they were frustrated as Abid and Salahuddin extended their third-wicket stand of 160 deep into the morning session.

Dom Bess eventually broke the stand en route to figures of 3 for 110 from 31 overs, and Porter bowled the captain Mohammad Rizwan for 47, but by the time Abid was extracted for 113, Pakistan A were just 16 runs from victory.

"Funny old game against Pakistan A," Wood later wrote on Twitter. "Felt like we had won 3 of the 4 days but they played well & wore us down on an unresponsive pitch in the end. A learning experience in conditions much different to home & now it's time to reflect & prepare for the next fixture."