Moeen Ali failed to take his first chance to seal an opener’s spot for England’s three-Test series against Pakistan.
The all-rounder made just 22 after he was promoted to partner captain Alastair Cook in England’s first warm-up match, against Pakistan ‘A’ in Sharjah.
Moeen was preferred to Alex Hales, the other opener in the party, but struggled to impose himself on a slow surface. Attempting to pull a short delivery from Zia-ul-Haq, Moeen’s timing was awry and he could only send the ball into the hands of Ehsan Adil at deep backward square-leg.
Cook was more convincing throughout than Moeen, and there were no major alarms in the first hour for England against hosts led by Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq - called up at the last minute, from outside the published squad, for this fixture.
The tourists, choosing to bat in search of acclimatising match practice in the stifling heat here, found run-scoring a slow process.
Ian Bell was the second man to fall, given out lbw to Zafar Gohar for 19, although England’s No3 appeared convinced he had hit the ball before it struck his pad.
England arrived in the United Arab Emirates in search of an improved performance after their disastrous Test series here in 2012.
Before those three matches, England were the No1-ranked side in the world but could not handle the mystery spin of Saeed Ajmal and were whitewashed 3-0.
Cook, Bell, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson are the only survivors from that tour likely to play a significant role in this one.
