England 174-6 UAE 95-9: Jason Roy toys with the UAE attack to set up England victory

England 174-6 UAE 95-9 - England win by 79 runs

Jason Roy hits a six during England’s victory in Abu Dhabi on Monday (Getty)

The in-form batsman Jason Roy helped England to a comfortable win over the United Arab Emirates in their Twenty20 warm-up match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here yesterday ahead of their date with Pakistan on Thursday.

Roy and Alex Hales took a brutal toll of the powerplay overs – after the UAE had chosen to field first under lights – racing to 82 in the first six.

Thereafter, England faltered as regular wickets surprisingly began to fall and boundaries became increasingly scarce as they made their way to a par total of 174 for 6.

However, the hosts, who failed to record a victory at this year’s World Cup, could not get started in reply and – with Moeen Ali flattered by figures of 4 for 11 – they finished on 95 for 9 to lose by 79 runs.

The UAE are in a transitional state after their unsuccessful campaign in Australia and New Zealand, and were unable to test England for long here. Eoin Morgan’s team got off to a flying start, and their early powerplay charge opened up an ample advantage they were never likely to lose.

The leg-spinner Imran Haider bowled very well, however – and his third over, the 16th of the innings, was a wicket maiden. By then Roy, on the back of his maiden one-day international hundred four days ago, had already put England in control as he took on the new ball, hitting it high and far and reaching his 50 from just 26 balls.

James Vince’s opportunity to impress at No 3 proved short-lived as he was run out for two by a throw from deep cover. Hales then fell 10 short of his 50 when he was well held on the long-on boundary – but the damage had been done.

The home response was soon in trouble as Chris Jordan and Reece Topley made it 14 for 2 after three overs. The wickets were then shared out as the hosts failed to trouble the target.

The Yorkshire coach, Jason Gillespie, has backed the England selectors’ decision to omit Adil Rashid from the Test tour of South Africa and instead allow him to develop his T20 skills in the Big Bash League. “Mixed emotions,” Gillespie said. “It is unlikely England will play two spinners in South Africa. If he is not going to play, is he better playing in the Big Bash leading into more challenges that England have got in the shorter forms of the game in the new year, or carrying drinks around South Africa?”