England vs Sri Lanka Day Two: Gus Atkinson secures maiden Test century on 'pretty cool day' as England dominate
Published 30/08/2024 at 20:21 GMT+1
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Gus Atkinson scored his maiden Test century for England as the hosts dominated Sri Lanka on day two of the second Test at Lord's. Atkinson's 118 added to Joe Root's dominant 143 run performance on day one as the hosts were bowled out for 427 in the first innings. England's bowling attack then continued the domination, dismissing the visitors for just 196 as the hosts edge towards a series win.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
England’s Gus Atkinson described day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka as a “pretty cool day” after delivering his first ever Test hundred at Lord's.
The hosts are on course for a comfortable win over the visitors, bowling the Sri Lankans out for just 196 after delivering 427 runs in their opening innings.
Atkinson’s 118 runs from only 115 balls helped give England a commanding lead as they look to secure the series victory, following Joe Root’s century on day one of the second test.
Olly Stone (2-70), Atkinson (2-40), Chris Woakes (2-21) and Matthew Potts (2-19) caused chaos for the Sri Lankan batting attack on a dominant day for captain Ollie Pope’s bowlers.
England began the day on 358-7 following Root’s fabulous 143 on day one, his 33rd Test hundred from his country, but the focus heading into the second day at Lord's was on the century-chasing Atkinson.
"Incredible. It was very surreal, I don't think it has sunk in yet,” he told Sky Sports after play was called for the day.
"To be out there and score a 100. I didn't ever think I would be on the Lord's honours board for batting so yeah, a pretty cool day.
"My dad, brother and sister were here, my brother's birthday so a nice treat for him, then a few mates as well,” he added.
Atkinson began the morning needing 26 runs for his maiden Test century as England looked to add to their 216 runs for six wickets. The Surrey bowler survived a scare early on after an English review adjudged the 26-year-old not out after seemingly being bowled lbw by Lahiru Kumara, but the review showed the delivery was missing leg stump.
Twenty-five minutes later, Atkinson took off his helmet and acknowledged the applause of Lord's, smashing an off-drive for four to bring up his maiden Test century.
"It is hard not to smile in that situation. I don't think i cracked a smile when I was walking off but it was hard not to smile in that situation,” Atkinson admitted.
"I have had a pretty terrible year with Surrey for the bat so to come here and have a Test 100 is special."
The centurion was dismissed shortly before midday via a stunning catch from Milan Rathnayake at deep backward square, catching the ball blindly over his shoulder near the boundary.
Fifteen minutes later, England were bowled out. Asitha Fernando claimed his fifth wicket for 102 runs after dismissing Stone for 15 and England’s innings ended with 427 runs on the board.
The visitors were up against it after the healthy run total from the hosts but lost their first batsman for just 18 runs as Nishan Madushka was bowled out by Woakes for seven. It’s been a rotten series for Madushka thus far, scoring just 11 runs in the opening three innings of the tour.
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The next batsman to fall was Dimuth Madushanka, again for only seven runs. Stone claimed his first test wicket in three years for his country as England led by 395 runs at lunch.
The lunch break didn’t halt Stones' momentum as he struck again to dismiss Pathum Nissanka as the Sri Lankan clipped the delivery into leg gully and the hands of the awaiting England fielder.
The visitors were reeling and would lose two more wickets in the space of as many wickets, with Potts dismissing Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva in the same over as Sri Lanka had just 83 runs for five wickets.
After impressing with the bat, Atkinson impressed with the ball, taking Dinesh Chandimal after the Sri Lankan notched 23 runs before Woakes bowled Rathanayake before tea. Sitting at 129-7 at the break wasn’t pretty reading for the tourists.
There would be no resurgence from Sri Lanka’s batting attack as the tourists were bowled out before 6pm for only 196 runs.
Sri Lanka’s short innings meant the hosts had a chance with the bat before the end of play at Lord's, but there was disappointment for Dan Lawrence after a review showed the Surrey batsman caught an inside edge on a delivery that finished in the gloves of wicketkeeper Sangakkara.
England ended the day at 25-1 and are on course to wrap up the series, potentially as early as Sunday.
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