Gus Atkinson continued his love affair with Lord’s, wrapping up England’s 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Rothesay Test with yet another appearance on the famous honours board.
Atkinson took the last three wickets on day four to seal figures of five for 30, his fourth five-for in just three appearances to go alongside an unexpected century in 2024.
The Surrey seamer hurried the hosts over the line by sweeping aside tailenders Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry, taking his Test record at the home of cricket to 26 wickets at just 9.5 apiece.
The result never looked in doubt despite a counter-punching 44 not out from Glenn Phillips, with New Zealand all out for 138 chasing 254 on a sub-standard batting surface.
The win gets England back to winning ways following their 4-1 Ashes thrashing in Australia, with Atkinson adding to strong performances from debutant Emilio Gay and new-ball partner Ollie Robinson.
Gay’s second-innings 57 was the innings of the match, the highest score and longest innings on a bowler’s paradise, while Robinson’s first appearance in more than two years yielded seven wickets.
New Zealand’s position was already perilous as they started out on 55 for five, with any hopes built around their overnight pairing.
Both have enjoyed memorable days at Lord’s in the past, Devon Conway making a double century on debut five years ago and Tom Blundell playing his part in a 195-run stand in 2022.
But conditions this week have been stacked firmly against the batters and it took just a couple of minutes for England to snare a sixth wicket.
It came in predictable fashion off Tongue’s fourth delivery of the morning, with significant seam movement and low bounce proving a lethal combination for Blundell. For the 11th time in the match, the umpire’s finger was raised for lbw.
A swift conclusion looked on when Robinson welcomed Phillips by taking his outside and inside edge with successive deliveries, the all-rounder narrowly surviving on both occasions. Harry Brook then dropped Conway at second slip on 24 in Tongue’s next visit.
With clinging on doing New Zealand no favours, Phillips initiated a brisk gear change with three boundaries in seven deliveries. Better known for his white-ball game, Phillips’ counter-attack injected some jeopardy with a stand of 53 coming off less than 12 overs.
For the first time, English eyes were beginning to be drawn to the scoreboard, but it fell to Stokes to calm any nerves. With two batting failures and no first-innings wickets, the captain was striving to make his first real mark on the game when he squared up Conway and had him well caught by Jacob Bethell at gully.
With that glimmer of resistance overcome, Atkinson topped up his figures at the Pavilion End. Smith lasted just three balls before edging behind and Jamieson lingered only slightly longer before flicking straight to mid-wicket.
Needing one more to secure his five-for, Atkinson could not have wished for a more willing opponent than Henry, bowled for his second duck of the match and the ninth in total.
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