Gus Atkinson was left feeling “very surreal” after his maiden first-class century increased England’s hold on the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Friday. The Surrey fast bowler was already on two of the three Test honours boards at Lord’s after a 12-wicket match haul against the West Indies on debut last month.
And he completed the set with a cavalier 118 off just 115 balls as England looked to go 2-0 up in a three-Test series against Sri Lanka. Atkinson became just the sixth player after the England quartet of Gubby Allen, Ian Botham, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Australia great Keith Miller to have taken five wickets in an innings, 10 in a match and made a hundred in a Test at ‘the Home of Cricket’.
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Atkinson, however, was the quickest man to achieve this feat, taking just four innings across two games compared to Botham’s six innings. also in two matches.
The 26-year-old Atkinson belied a first-class average of 20 to hit 11 fours and four sixes on his way to a century in just 103 balls, with the paceman boosting England’s first-innings total from 216-6 when he came in to an eventual 427 all out.
And just for good measure he then took two wickets as Sri Lanka were dismissed for just 196, with England 25-1 in their second innings at stumps — a commanding overall lead of 256 — after they decided against enforcing the follow-on.
“It’s very surreal,” Atkinson told reporters. “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.
“It’s been a pretty special two Tests here at Lord’s. I don’t think I could have asked for much more.”
He added: “I’ve been frustrated with my batting this year. I haven’t really scored many runs for Surrey at all. I know how good of a player I can be and I feel like I’ve got so much natural ability with the bat.”
Atkinson, 74 not out at Thursday’s close, struck fours off his first two balls Friday before he was given out lbw to the third only to overturn the decision on review.
“When I was given out, I thought ‘oh no’ and then I remembered I could review it,” he said. “I reviewed it without speaking to (batting partner Matthew) Potts.
“I was reviewing it anyway, even if it was hitting middle. It was nice to get off with a few boundaries and thankfully the lbw was missing.”
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