Atkinson picked up 7/45 on debut
Gus Atkinson’s debut day as a Test cricketer exceeded his wildest dreams. Playing at Lord’s, he needed just 53 balls to etch his name on the honours board, finishing with astonishing figures of 7 for 45. Reflecting on the day, Atkinson said, “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. A very special day.” His family’s presence during the cap presentation made it even more memorable. Atkinson’s bowling, especially his quick cross-seam deliveries, left West Indies floundering, and he joined the distinguished company of England players who have taken a five-for on Test debut.
Gus Atkinson described his first day as a Test cricketer as ‘more than I could have dreamed of’ as England’s fast-bowling transition exercise got off to an exciting start at Lord’s. Playing his first red-ball game at the fabled venue, Atkinson needed just 53 balls to etch his name on the honours board and finished with astonishing figures of 7 for 45.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I was looking up at the board seeing my figures and just thinking, ‘Wow.’ A very special day,” Atkinson reflected after the day’s play. “I was a bit nervous this morning. I woke up and all I could think about was the day ahead. I was a bit emotional this morning and then having my family there for my cap presentation – if you could have asked me what I wanted from my day that was pretty close to the top. It was pretty cool. Just to take a five-for is amazing, more than I could have dreamed of.
On a slowish Day 1 pitch, Atkinson was introduced into the attack after West Indies had seemingly sailed past the early choppy waters and reached 34 for no-loss. Atkinson’s second delivery at this level was inside-edged on to the leg-stump by opposition captain Kraigg Brathwaite. He had bowled three overs and taken two wickets before he even conceded his first run.
“I was trying to keep as level as possible. My dad was saying, ‘It’s the biggest day of your life.’ I was like ‘Relax! Relax – try not to think like that.’ I was a bit nervous to start with but once the first few overs were bowled I was pretty calm,” he reflected.
The 26-year-old stuck to his strengths of bowling quick cross-seam deliveries. He coupled that by using the Lord’s slope to good effect as evidenced by left-handers Kirk McKenzie and Alick Athanaze getting thick edges to the slip cordon. “My stock ball is that scrambled seam, it felt like today, bowling with the slope, bowling from the Pavilion End, that was my most dangerous ball,” Atkinson said.
“I was targeting fourth stump and trying to run it down the hill and with the left-handers, I was trying to push it across them with the odd in-swinger. I felt like that was the best way I could get the wickets. The seam was probably a bit more scrambled than I’d like but that is something I can work on. I feel like I can bowl quicker and hit the pitch harder when I bowl scrambled seam and it’s worked prety well for me in the past.”
It was with his second spell that Atkinson had West Indies floundering. He took three wickets in four balls in his ninth over, scything through West Indies’ middle order and joining the distinguished company of Tom Hartley, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, and Will Jacks as England players who have recently taken a five-for on Test debut under Ben Stokes. Atkinson went further with two more wickets in his 11th over to cap off a dramatic arrival on the scene.
It is too soon to anoint his performance as a passing of the torch, but the nature of his entry did take some of the spotlight off the exiting James Anderson, whose retirement after 22 years and over 700 Test wickets remains the central narrative peg to this season-opening Test
“The focus was on Jimmy so it was nice to go under the radar a bit and just focus on performing as best as I could,” Atkinson said. “To be out there alongside Jimmy in his final test was incredible, being in the Long Room, Jimmy leading us on the pitch was a pretty surreal moment.
“I’ve played a few white ball games here. It was special, I’ve always felt like I would bowl quite well here with the red ball so to be able to come out and get the opportunity in the first Test of the summer is great, and thankfully it went well.”
