Matthew Potts and Olly Stone took two wickets apiece as England’s pace bowlers made their mark after Gus Atkinson had starred with the bat on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.
Potts and Stone, who are injury replacements for captain Ben Stokes and Mark Wood respectively, impressed with the ball as they made crucial inroads, displaying the depth and talent England possess.
Potts (2-19) took two wickets in four deliveries and finished his fourth over with impressive figures of 2-2 having bowled three maidens. The 25-year-old is playing in his first Test in more than a year in place of Stokes, who is missing the three-match series with a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Stone (2-70) struck either side of lunch to dismiss opener Dimuth Karunaratne (7) and Pathum Nissanka (12) on his return to Test cricket after a three-year absence.
“I was very, very impressed with England [in the afternoon session],” said Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain.
“They look like a side which understands the conditions here and understands the slope and how it works because of the fields they’ve set.
“Sri Lanka are the complete opposite – when they were in the field and definitely when they are batting.”
England’s frontline bowlers shared the wickets as they made regular breakthroughs to stunt Sri Lanka’s scoring, with the tourists slipping from 83-4 to 118-7 in the space of 10 overs at one stage. This contrasted with Sri Lanka’s bowlers as Asitha Fernando (5-102) did the bulk of the work with his five-for.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir (1-21) finally got the chance to bowl at Lord’s after one Test and 37 overs and took the opportunity with the wicket of Prabath Jayasuriya (8).
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Matthew Potts claimed two quickfire wickets against Sri Lanka
“England have out-bowled Sri Lanka for sure, but just the tactics of knowing this ground and having this experience of how the angles work, the tactics have been way better too,” added former England quick Stuart Broad.
“I thought Matthew Potts was superb. I thought Chris Woakes created a lot of chances with the new ball as well.
“I think they are really suited that they have got Potts and Woakes, who love the Nursery End, and Stone and Atkinson who suit the Pavilion.
“Bashir came in and turned them all which is a great sign going forward.
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Shoaib Bashir takes his first wicket against Sri Lanka in spectacular fashion
“If it is sunny again tomorrow (Saturday) they will hope to bowl maybe 20 or 30 overs tomorrow evening, make a couple of breakthroughs, then do the job on Sunday when there is a bit more wear on the pitch.
“They are controlling the game beautifully here, you get another night’s sleep and put a day’s rest into these bowlers and they will be able to come back and hit this pitch.
“The England bowlers will want till tea to rest up, get a massage, get some treatment, then come back and hit that pitch really hard.
“Then by tea, what is that lead going to be?”
Atkinson relives Lord’s glory with bat
Seven weeks ago Atkinson made a memorable debut at Lord’s where he claimed seven wickets in England’s win over West Indies.
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After scoring an impressive century for England, Gus Atkinson said it had not sunk in yet
The pace bowler enjoyed more Lord’s glory with the bat as he posted his maiden Test century to help England build a substantial lead worth 256 runs at the end of day two.
Atkinson resumed the day on 74 and only needed 22 more balls to reach three figures, hitting six boundaries within those deliveries. It was the 250th Test century at Lord’s and the sixth fastest.
He also joined the elite company of Gubby Allen, Ian Botham, Stuart Broad, Keith Miller and England team-mate Chris Woakes as players who have hit a century and taken 10 wickets in Lord’s Tests.
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Ollie Pope produced a stunning direct hit to run out Lahiru Kumara
“It was incredible. It was very surreal, I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” said Atkinson.
“To be out there and score a 100. I didn’t ever think I would be on the Lord’s honours board for batting so yeah, a pretty cool day.
“My dad, brother and sister were here, my brothers birthday so a nice treat for him, then a few mates as well. I remember a lot of it, I remember most balls to be honest.
“I probably started thinking about the 100 when I was on about 80 and I was just telling myself focus on each ball.”
Atkinson (2-40) also starred with the ball, picking up two wickets including the scalp of Kamindu Mendis (74) who was really Sri Lanka’s only threatening batter after five of their players were out in single figures.
Watch day three of the second Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Saturday August 31 (first ball, 11am).
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