Atkinson takes 12, Anderson shines as England blow Windies away at Lord’s

James Anderson hogged the headlines in his final Test match at Lord’s - but shared centre stage following a staggering performance from Gus Atkinson.

Veteran seamer Anderson, who is 42 at the end of July, has now retired from Test matches following the completion of the first Test with the West Indies, bringing to a close his illustrious career for England.

The Lord’s crowd gave him a rousing reception before the start of play - but it was Surrey paceman Atkinson who had them cheering on day one when he took a wicket with just his second ball in Test match cricket.

The 26-year-old then ripped through the tourists’ batting order, taking seven wickets to get on the honours board at Lord’s with a five-fer (bowlers get their name on the historic if they take five wickets - and batsmen get their name on the board if they score a century).

The West Indies, who lost the toss and were asked to bat under clouds by England captain Ben Stokes, tumbled to 121 all out in the first innings - then saw the hosts rack up 371 thanks to half-centuries from Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and debutant Jamie Smith.

Atkinson then secured 5-61 as West Indies were rolled for 131 in the second innings, during which Anderson also took 3-32 to help England win by an innings and 114 runs.

Anderson poured praise on Atkinson’s display on his Test debut, telling Sky Sports: "I think he's been magnificent, I will say it's downhill from here after 12 wickets on your debut.

"What an amazing week he's had. The thing I love about Gus and stories about people like that, he went to India in the winter, didn't play a game. He worked so hard on his game and to see the fruits of that this week, I'm sure will help him.

"I think he'll be an amazing cricketer for England. He's got all the attributes to do well in Test cricket.

"We've got some great young bowlers coming through. I'm really looking forward to working closely with them."

Former England captain Andrew Strauss was impressed by Atkinson’s display on debut, telling Sky Sports: "Atkinson has bowled a good line, good length and good pace. The wobble seam was hard for the West Indies to deal with, especially with the overcast conditions.

“It was sensational from Atkinson. It has been fast, accurate and intimidating at times as well. He has been very, very impressive.

"He has varied his length and on a slow pitch he has looked threatening in a way the other seamers have not. It has been phenomenal to watch."

Here, Sports News Blitz takes a look at the career of Atkinson so far…

Domestic Career

Surrey County Cricket Club

Atkinson began his professional career with Surrey in 2019 and has made significant contributions across various formats:

First-Class Cricket: He has shown potential with both bat and ball in the longer format.

List A Cricket: In the Royal London One-Day Cup, Atkinson has taken key wickets, bolstering Surrey's bowling attack.

T20 Cricket: His performances in the Vitality Blast have highlighted his ability to deliver at high speeds, making him an effective death bowler for Surrey.

The Hundred

Atkinson has also played in The Hundred, representing the Oval Invincibles. His fast bowling has been crucial to the team's success in this new and exciting format.

International Career

Atkinson's impressive domestic performances earned him a spot on the England national team, where he has played in both ODI and T20I matches.

His pace and precision have made him a valuable player in the limited-overs formats - and now he has taken to the Test team like a duck to water.

Playing Style and Strengths

Gus Atkinson is renowned for his express pace, consistently delivering balls that challenge even the most skilled batsmen.

He excels in T20 cricket, particularly in bowling yorkers and slower deliveries during the death overs. Additionally, he has shown potential as a lower-order batsman.

Despite being early in his career, Atkinson's progress and impact on the first day of his Test-match career suggests a bright future for him.

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