Gus Atkinson became only the third England player after Tony Greig and Ian Botham to score a hundred and take a five-for in a men’s Test match as the Englishmen beat Sri Lanka by 190 runs in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

The victory on Day IV of the Test also secured England the series as they now have an unassailable 2-0 lead. This was also England’s fifth Test win on the trot.

Pacer Atkinson, following his 118 in the first innings, finished with 5/62 on Sunday as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 292 in their second essay after being set a huge target
of 483. Thanks to a dogged eighth-wicket stand between captain Dhananjaya de Silva (50) and Milan Rathnayake (43), Sri Lanka were able to stretch the penultimate day of the Test to its final session. At tea, the visitors were at 260/7.

Thereafter, early in the day’s final session, Atkinson first picked up Dhananjaya to end the stand that put on 73 for Sri Lanka and then accounted for Rathnayake to more or less confirm the game wouldn’t go till its fifth and final day.

A few balls later, Chris Woakes dismissed Lahiru Kumara to ensure a quick finish.

Atkinson also trumped Joe Root, who scored a hundred in both innings of the Test, for the Man-of-the-Match award. “I couldn’t have asked for much more. To get on both honours boards will take a while to sink in. Batting alongside Root was also special in the first innings,” Atkinson said.

Talking about the success he has had at Lord’s, Atkinson said: “My first red-ball games here have gone my way. I enjoy bowling with the slope.”

Written with Reuters inputs