Gus Atkinson continues to witness a dream start to his Test career with a sensational century at Lord's on Friday, August 30. The right-arm pacer smashed 118 runs off 115 balls to help England post a big total of 427 in their first innings of the second Test match against Sri Lanka.
Playing in his only fifth Test, Atkinson became the second English player to score a century and take a ten-fer at Lord's in the same year. The legendary all-rounder Ian Botham was the only English cricketer to achieve this unique feat against Pakistan in June 1978.
The former Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad was the first and only non-English cricketer to score a hundred and take a five-fer in an innings at London's iconic cricket ground. Former English cricketers Gubby Allen, Stuart Broad and the current pace spearhead Chris Woakes have previously scored a century and have taken a five-wicket haul at Lord's but in different seasons.
Before Atkinson's heroics, Joe Root registered his record-equalling sixth Test hundred at Lord's on Day 1. Root scored his 33rd century to also equal Alastair Cook's record for most Test hundreds for the Three Lions. Root top-scored with 143 runs off 206 balls and Atkinson added 118 runs to help England score 427 runs in 102 overs.
After a dominating display with a bat, England also proved their brilliance with a ball. England bowlers made an instant impact Woakes and Olly Stone removing both openers Nishan Madushka cheaply and then Matthew Pots and Atkinson contributed to hammer the visitors' middle order.
Kamindu Mendis, the centurion in the first Test match in Manchester, scored an unbeaten 22 to push Sri Lanka past a 100-run total but at the expense of seven wickets inside 30 overs. Stone, Woakes and Potts took two wickets each while Atkinson bagged one for the hosts.
