Uncapped Northants leg-spinner Calvin Harrison ripped through Pakistan Shaheens to set England Lions up to seal a nine-wicket win in the opening 'ODI' of their series in Abu Dhabi.
The Lions were dominant in the first 50-over match, having already secured a 3-0 victory in the T20 leg of the tour. They bowled the Shaheens out for 152 before chasing down the runs in 24.2 overs for the loss of just one wicket. James Rew and Asa Tribe combined for an unbeaten 77-run partnership to get them over the line.
Calvin Harrison stars in comprehensive bowling display
The Shaheens were pegged back early on when they lost opener Maaz Sadaqat in the third over of the innings. He was Matthew Potts' only wicket of the day, with the Ashes seamer returning figures of 1-22 off his five overs. By the end of the 11th over, the Shaheens had lost all of their top three, with Sonny Baker and Matt Revis splitting the wickets. Eddie Jack dismissed Saad Khan, caught at cover in the 20th over, to leave the Shaheens at 77-4.
Having been hit for four early boundaries by Abdul Samad when he first came into the attack in the 19th over, Calvin Harrison fired back to strike twice in four deliveries. Samad got a top edge, attempting a big shot off a ball which dipped from Harrison, skying it to James Coles in the ring. Ben McKinney took a juggling catch at slip off the fifth ball of Harrison's over to get rid of the other set batter, Saad Baig, for 18 off 26.
James Coles then struck with the first ball of the next over, taking a sharp caught and bowled chance to dismiss Saad Masood for 1 (3), before Harrison made it four wickets in three overs for the Lions in his next. He bowled Shahid Aziz round his legs, leaving the Shaheens 123-8, having lost four wickets for three runs in the space of 14 deliveries.
Baker and James Coles sealed the end of the Shaheens' innings. Baker got Arafat Minhas caught at fine leg off a bouncer, before Coles trapped Ahmed Daniyal lbw for the final wicket of the innings. Coles, who was the leading wicket-taker in the T20 series, finished his spell with figures of 2-25 off 6.3 overs. Harrison finished with 3-37 in his 10 overs.
1st unofficial ODI, England Lions vs Pakistan Shaheens
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The Lions will have the opportunity to seal the 50-over series in the second match, which is scheduled for Sunday, March 1.
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