Atkinson’s heroic hundred hurt Sri Lanka before the English bowlers struck in the second Test

London, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 31st Aug, 2024) Gus Atkinson scored a blistering century before England tightened their grip in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Friday.

Atkinson’s scintillating 118 helped take England to 427 all out in their first innings after Joe Root had made a masterful 143 on Thursday to equal England’s record 33 Test centuries held by Alastair Cook .

Sri Lanka climbed to 87-6 on the second day.

But Kamindu Mendis, fresh from a late 113 in Sri Lanka’s five-wicket loss in the first Test at Old Trafford, made an admirable 74 to prevent complete humiliation before he was the last man in a total of 196.

All of England’s pace attack took two wickets each, Matthew Potts returning figures of 2-19 in 11 overs and Chris Woakes 2-21 in 13.

Sri Lanka were 231 runs behind but England captain Ollie Pope failed to enforce the follow-on, with the hosts 25-1 in their second innings at stumps – an overall lead of 256 as they looked 2-0 down. in a three game series.

Ben Duckett was 15 not out with Pope, having managed just three scores in a single figure since replacing the injured Ben Stokes as skipper, two not out after deciding to defend against the new ball with a night watchman.

– Atkinson’s Lord’s Love –

But the day belongs to Atkinson as he cements his love affair with Lord’s.

The 26-year-old, whose previous highest first-class score was 91 for Surrey against a Sri Lanka Development XI in 2022, made his Test debut only against the West Indies, also at Lord’s, last month.

Atkinson marked that occasion with 12 wickets (7-45 and 5-61) to engrave his name on the famous Lord’s dressing room honor boards reserved for bowlers who take five or more wickets in a Test innings and 10 or more in a match.

Few would have supported Atkinson to enter the equivalent honors table that recognizes those who have scored hundreds of tests at the “House of cricket” – a feat that has proved beyond such star batsmen as Sachin Tendulkar of the India, West Indies’ Brian Lara and Australia’s Ricky Ponting.

Atkinson was 74 not out overnight in Thursday’s stumps total of 358-7.

No. 8 Atkinson continued from where he left off, hitting four fours off the first two balls on Friday as he looked leg and drove at cover as paceman Lahiru Kumara looked at leg for a couple of textbook boundaries .

But at third he was given lbw, only for Australian umpire Paul Reiffel’s decision to be overturned by a review that indicated the ball would have missed leg stump.

Atkinson went to his century in storybook fashion, driving Kumara down the pavilion for another four – his 11th in a full century in just 103 balls and that too with four sixes.

A spectacular innings came to a spectacular end when Atkinson mistimed a pull from an Asitha Fernando slip and was brilliantly caught by a diving Milan Rathnayake as he darted towards the rope.

Atkinson walked out to a rousing reception, having faced just 115 balls.

Fernando finished the innings dismissing Olly Stone to secure his place on the honors tables with a return of 5-102 in 21 overs.

Sri Lankan openers Nishan Madushka and Dimuth Karunaratne were both bowled for seven before wickets continued to grab.

But in-form left-hander Mendis, again batting curiously low down the order at No. 7, hit three sixes off the recalled quick Stone, the last injured an MCC member in the pavilion, during a 120-ball innings with even eight fours.

Down on 62 when Root dropped a routine chance in the deep, the 25-year-old finished off Atkinson to round off a memorable day for the fast bowler.