Atkinson century leads England dominance of Sri Lanka

Second Test, Lord’s (day two of five)

England 427 (Root 143, Atkinson 118; A Fernando 5-102) & 25-1

Sri Lanka 196 (Kamindu 74; Potts 2-19, Woakes 2-21)

England lead by 256 runs

Scorecard

Gus Atkinson continued the sensational start to his career with a maiden century as England utterly dominated day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.

Atkinson, who took 12 wickets on debut against West Indies on this ground last month, became the first England number eight to make a Test ton in 11 years, before joining a pace quartet that laid waste to the Sri Lanka top order.

The 26-year-old, playing only his fifth Test, needed 22 deliveries on Friday morning to move from an overnight 74 to his first century in professional cricket.

Only two England number eights have made more than Atkinson’s 118 in Tests and it took a breathtaking diving catch by Milan Rathnayake to dismiss him as part of the home side’s eventual 427 all out.

In blameless conditions, Sri Lanka should have made England work hard, only to fold in the face of some relentless pace bowling.

Olly Stone took two wickets in an over in his first Test for more than three years, while Matthew Potts repeated the dose in a calamitous spell when Sri Lanka crashed from 83-3 to 87-6.

Resistance came from Kamindu Mendis, who followed up his century in the first Test with a defiant 74. His was the last wicket to fall to leave Sri Lanka 196 all out, 231 behind.

England opted against the follow-on and Dan Lawrence felt aggrieved to be caught behind for seven.

Ollie Pope joined Ben Duckett and England closed on 25-1, a lead of 256.

England are racing towards their fifth successive Test win and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

For Sri Lanka, this was a chastening day, one that left them ruing their decision to bowl first. The tourists battled hard before being beaten in the first Test, yet had little stomach for the fight on this second afternoon at Lord’s.

Atkinson and Kamindu proved that run-scoring could be straightforward on a placid surface, but Sri Lanka were left wanting by England’s ability to find just enough movement.

Even as Kamindu counter-punched, stand-in England captain Ollie Pope’s biggest decision was whether or not to bat again. The last time England enforced the follow-on, against New Zealand in Wellington last year, they suffered a historic and thrilling one-run defeat.

Pope’s choice gave another chance to makeshift opener Lawrence and his inside edge off Lahiru Kumara was correctly detected on review. That brought the skipper to the crease for his opportunity to prove he can combine leadership with runs at number three.

Surrey’s Atkinson was made to wait for his Test bow, carrying the drinks for the entire series in India earlier this year, but since getting his chance against the Windies, he has become a fixture in the England team.

His 12-106 are the fourth-best bowling figures by a Test debutant and set him on the way to being man of the series.

Now, strokeplay fitting of a player higher in the order means Atkinson has a five-wicket innings, 10-wicket match and a century inside only five days of Test cricket at this famous venue. Overall, he became just the sixth man to earn a place on all three Lord’s honours boards.

The first ball of the day, bowled by Kumara, was clipped fine by Atkinson for four. The next ball was driven on the up for four. The third delivery was given lbw, only for the review to show it missing leg stump and bring a relieved cheer from the expectant crowd.

On 99, Atkinson fiddled nervously at Kumara and could have given an edge. He followed up with a drive through mid-off for four to bring up three figures in 103 deliveries, the sixth-fastest Test hundred on this ground.

A stand of 85 with Potts was ended when Potts edged Asitha Fernando behind for 21, then came Rathnayake’s flying catch running back toward the mid-wicket rope to hold Atkinson’s top-edge.

Stone was caught at fine leg to give Fernando his fifth wicket and conclude England’s innings, the hosts having added 211 runs from their 216-6 on Atkinson’s arrival at the crease.

In the rebuilding of England’s pace attack, this is their first Test at Lord’s without one of James Anderson or Stuart Broad for 17 years. In their absence, a new-look foursome were superb.

Each of Atkinson, Potts, Stone and Chris Woakes held a full length to ask questions the Sri Lankans had no answer to.

Nishan Madushka chopped on off Woakes, while Dimuth Karunaratne did similar to Stone’s seventh delivery back in Test cricket. In the same Stone over, Pathum Nissanka tamely turned to leg slip.

Potts produced the best delivery of the day, nipping down the slope to trim Angelo Mathews’ off stump and three balls later had captain Dhananjaya de Silva held at second slip. When Dinesh Chandimal was caught on the leg side off Atkinson, Sri Lanka were in tatters.

Left-hander Kamindu, though, is another who has made a superb start in Test cricket and seems too low in the order at number seven. He marshalled partnerships of 31 with Rathnayake, 35 with Prabath Jayasuriya and 42 with Kumara, of which Kumara scored none.

As Stone tested him with bouncers, Kamindu hooked two sixes and top-edged another maximum that struck a spectator in the pavilion. Kumara was run out by Pope’s direct hit from the next delivery, then Kamindu miscued Atkinson to mid-off.

England bowler Gus Atkinson, speaking to BBC Test Match Special: “It’s very surreal! I’ve always thought of the Lord’s honours board growing up and pictured myself up there for my bowling, so it’s incredible to see myself up there with the bat! I couldn’t ask for more.”

Former England spinner Phil Tufnell: “A fabulous day of Test cricket, it had it all.

“It is a day Gus Atkinson will remember for the rest of his life.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan: “Every shot Atkinson played was perfection. He must be a brilliant poker player as he gives absolutely nothing away.

“As good a hundred I have ever seen.”

Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder Russel Arnold: “A very tough day. Atkinson piled on the agony this morning and you could see the Sri Lankans getting frustrated in the field, which then translated into the batting.”