Gus Atkinson fell just short of recording England’a best figures from a debutant on a dominant day one of the Test summer at Lord’s.
After winning the toss and electing to field in what is Jimmy Anderson’s final toss, England bowled the West Indies out for 121 before tea. In response, Zak Crawley (76) and Ollie Pope (57) both passed 50 as England finished the day with a lead of 68 runs with seven wickets still remaining.
After a sluggish start with the new ball, Surrey man Atkinson took the spotlight firmly off Anderson in his farewell Test when bowling Kraig Brathwaite via the inside edge with just his second delivery. Six further wickets came as Atkinson used his combination of pace and skill to blitz through the West Indies line-up.
Anderson did ensure he took at least one scalp when removing Jayden Seales for the final wicket of the innings.
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When England came out to bat, Seales put up something of a fight by taking two wickets of his own. The home side, though, climbed into the rest of the West Indies’ attack, putting themselves into a dominant position ahead of day two.
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