Kieswetter And Bell Blast England Lions To Victory

Kieswetter Blasts England Lions To Victory

Ian Bell contributed a quickfire 48 during the Lions' successful run chase.

©REUTERS/Rogan Ward (SOUTH AFRICA). Picture supplied by Action Images

England Lions 157-3 (Kieswetter 77) beat
Pakistan A 156-7 (Shahzaib Hasan 57) by seven wickets
Twenty20 match, Sharjah
Scorecard

Craig Kieswetter thumped 77 in 52 balls as the England Lions beat Pakistan A by seven wickets in their opening Twenty20 match in Sharjah.

Pakistan A posted 156 for seven with Shahzaib Hasan hitting 57 in 55 balls before Kieswetter, playing as a specialist batsman to allow Steven Davies to take the gloves, put on 115 with Ian Bell (48 in 44 balls) to help England reach their victory target of 157 with 14 balls remaining.

Hasan hit five fours and a six after Pakisan A were inserted by Lions captain Andrew Gale, their innings benefitting from a late charge, led by Tanvir Ahmed and Naeem Anjum. Ahmed hit an unbeaten 21 in six balls and Ahmed 27 not out in 16 as Pakistan A mounted a recovery after leg-spinner Adil Rashid and pace bowler Peter Trego both picked up a pair of wickets.

Kieswetter then smashed eight fours and four sixes to make light of the early dismissals of Davies (14) and Michael Lumb (0) while Bell was dismissed three balls before the match was won, all three man falling to left-armer Wahab Riaz, leaving captain Andrew Gale to help Kieswettter finish off the game by hitting four from two balls.

The two sides meet again on 14th February.

© Cricket World 2010

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