Atkinson’s pitch helps Egg reach 427

LONDON:

Gus Atkinson scored a superb maiden century as England posted 427 all out on the second day of the second Test at Lord’s on Friday, before Sri Lanka lost both openers to reach lunch on 32-2.

Atkinson, whose previous highest score in first-class cricket was 91 for Surrey, started with back-to-back boundaries, slotting Lahiru Kumara’s first delivery at fine leg and then driving the next one to cover.

The 26-year-old got fat off the third ball after an adventurous opening but was dismissed after a check as the ball traveled down the leg side. Atkinson moved to 99 with another classy delivery for four and, unlike Joe Root on day one, needed just three balls to reach three figures with a straight drive to the fence.

England had resumed on 358-7 with the partnership of Atkinson and Matthew Potts on Thursday night, having reached exactly 50. Sri Lanka’s bowling was poor and they leaked 35 runs from the first five overs before the introduction of Asitha Fernando , which had Potts (21) caught behind by keeper Nishan Madushka.

Atkinson continued to score freely but fell trying to hit Fernando in the stands, brilliantly caught by Milan Ratnayake at mid-wicket for 118 off 115 balls. Ollie Stone (15) was the last over from Fernando (5- 102), as England added 69 to their overnight total. Madushka (7) should have been caught behind by Chris Woakes, but an edge flew between the keeper and the slips, before cutting a long delivery onto his stumps.

Stone, playing in his first Test since 2021, removed Dimuth Karunaratne (7) in the same fashion at lunch to leave Sri Lanka in trouble, 395 behind. England won the first Test at Old Trafford last week by five wickets. Sri Lanka need to win at Lord’s to have any chance of winning the three-match series.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, England’s leading batsman Joe Root paid a moving tribute to the late Graham Thorpe after he scored a landmark 33rd Test hundred at Lord’s, saying much of his success was down to the impact of his former coach .

His innings meant Root equaled Alastair Cook’s record for most Test hundreds by an England batsman after coming on with the side reeling at 42-2 on the first day of the second Test.

Root immediately pointed to the sky after reaching three figures in a gesture in memory of former England batsman and assistant coach Thorpe, who died aged 55 earlier this month after taking his own life.

A deeply moved Root, whose 143 helped England reach 358-7 at stumps, told reporters: “I’ve been very fortunate to work with a lot of people, be it senior players, coaches and mentors.

“He (Thorpe) was one of those people who gave me so much and it was nice to be able to think of him at that moment. Someone I’ll miss a lot and owe a lot to. He put a lot into my game and my career ».

Thorpe, who won exactly 100 Test caps, was widely regarded as the greatest England batsman of his generation.