England struggle to warm-up win in Dubai

Steve Davies and Stuart Broad shared a resolute seventh stand of 61 to help an unimpressive England to win the three-day tour opener against ICC Combined XI by three wickets here on Monday.It was a case of second batting failure for the tourists as, chasing 261 to win, England owed the win to captain Andrew Strauss (78), Ian Bell (39) and Jonathan Trott (35) on the final day at the Global Cricket Academy ground.Kevin Pietersen (one) and Eoin Morgan (three) flopped a second time in the match and when Bell departed at 199-6, England looked down and out before Davies (37 not out) and Broad (31) saved their blushes.Despite the win Englands batting looked rusty ahead of the first of three Tests against Pakistan which starts here from January 17 in which they will also be without paceman Tim Bresnan who has been ruled out with a right elbow injury.England will have another opportunity to settle their batting on the slow, dusty pitches here as they play the second warm-up game against a Pakistan Cricket Board XI, also in Dubai, from January 11-13.Strauss said afterward there is plenty for us to work on and we are not going to pretend it was perfect by any means.