Somerset duo Sam Underdown and George Bartlett kept the England Development Programme's Under-17s in contention on the second day of their three-day match against Pakistan in Dubai.
They came together with the EDP on 21 for two in reply to Pakistan’s 337 for eight declared, but responded with a third-wicket partnership of 112.
Bartlett, a right-hander from Millfield School who turns 17 next month, was caught for 46 off 90 balls. But the left-handed Underdown, who made his second team debut for Somerset last summer, went on to 81 from 160 balls.
Northamptonshire’s Saif Zaib, who starred in England’s win in the last one-day game against Pakistan on Sunday, continued his good form with 66 from 103 balls.
But the Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Moores was the only other player to reach double figures as England were dismissed for 256, and Pakistan then extended their first-innings lead of 81 to 136 for the loss of only one wicket, taken by Surrey’s Sam Curran.
