Gus Atkinson's Lord's love affair continues as he bowls England to series victory over Sri Lanka
Updated 02/09/2024 at 16:33 GMT+1
England completed a series victory over Sri Lanka on the fourth evening of the second Test at Lord's. England's impressive efforts with the bat, spearheaded by Joe Root, placed them in a strong position and the bowlers completed the job on Sunday. It was tough going on a deck that was still good for batting, but patience was the key for England's bowlers and they wrapped up a 190-run win.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Sri Lanka put up brave resistance on the fourth day, but their efforts with the bat counted for nothing as England wrapped up victory at Lord’s to clinch the series.
Joe Root’s tons in each innings set England on their way to victory in the second Test, and their bowlers - Gus Atkinson being the pick with five wickets - showed patience on a decent batting deck to eke out the wickets required to wrap up the win on Sunday.
The tourists began the fourth day on 53 for 2, 430 shy of their victory target of 483.
Nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya hung around in stubborn fashion for 41 balls, but his innings of four was brought to a close when Harry Brook pouched a sharp catch, diving to his right, in the slips off Chris Woakes.
Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews put on 55 for the fourth wicket, and looked in little trouble as the Lord’s pitch turned extremely docile.
Extra pace can be an antidote to a docile deck, and Olly Stone’s ability to push the 90mph barrier provided the tonic for England as some extra bounce saw Karunaratne (55) get in a tangle and he gloved down the leg side to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Dinesh Chandimal strode out, and with purpose. He hit 11 boundaries as he took the attack to England.
Mathews (36) had looked in little trouble, but Shoaib Bashir tempted him into an expansive drive and he was caught in the covers by Woakes.
Chandimal made 58, but his attacking approach proved his undoing as Dan Lawrence took a catch off Atkinson.
Kamindu Mendis suffered a rare failure in his fledgling Test career, and teams may now target him around the wicket as it was his undoing once again, as he edged to Ben Duckett at third slip off Atkinson and departed for four.
Dhananjaya de Silva played a captain’s innings as he took Sri Lanka beyond 250, as they went into tea on 260 for 7.
De Silva brought up a well-constructed 50, but he became Atkinson’s 18th Test victim of the Lord’s summer when dragging on a ball that kept a little low.
Atkinson - who scored a maiden Test ton earlier in the match - secured another place on the Lord's honours board, as Milan Rathnayake (43) edged behind to Smith to hand the bowler his fifth of the innings.
Woakes was rewarded for some impressive bowling as he took the final wicket of Lahiru Kumara (10), Stone taking a high catch at mid-on as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 292.
The win secured England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with the teams heading to The Oval on Friday for the final Test of the summer.
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discovery+ is the home of every international series played in India, including England's tour in 2025.
discovery+ is the home of every international series played in India, including England's tour in 2025.
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