The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Atkinson’s 7- wicket haul leaves Windies reeling
ENGLAND WERE in command on 30 for one at tea after bowling West Indies out for 121 on the opening day of the first test at Lord's on Wednesday. Ben Duckett was the England wicket to fall, caught behind on three off the bowling of Jayden Seales, with opener Zak Crawley on 24 and Ollie Pope on one at the interval. Earlier, fast bowler Gus Atkinson took seven wickets for 45 runs on his debut as England dismissed the West Indies in just under 42 overs.
Atkinson took three wickets in four balls at one point, just missing out on a hat- trick, as he recorded the best figures by an Englishman on debut since Dominic Cork's seven for 43, also against the West Indies, in 1995. James Anderson, playing in his 188th and final test, claimed his 701st wicket to end the Windies innings. He is third on the all- time wicket- takers list and needs seven more to join Australian Shane Warne ( 708) in second place behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan ( 800).
Mikyle Louis, the first man from his island of St Kitts to play test cricket for the West Indies, was his side's top scorer with 27 in only his eighth first- class appearance.
The occasion was dedicated almost entirely to England's retiring record wicket- taker, with Anderson's daughters Ruby and Lola ringing the five- minute bell, montages of his best moments beamed out on the big screen before play and commemorative merchandise celebrating his 22- year career for sale in the club shop. Captain Ben Stokes played his part by winning the toss and bowling first under cloudy skies, but Anderson was unable to give a sell- out crowd the breakthrough they wanted to celebrate. Instead, it fell to newcomer Atkinson to give a glimpse of England's future. Coming on after 10 wicketless overs from Anderson and Chris Woakes, the Surrey seamer struck with his second delivery in test cricket, Kraigg Brathwaite chopping a routine delivery into his own stumps. The 26- year- old Atkinson quickly had a second success to his name. This time it was a classical dismissal, duping Kirk Mckenzie into a drive and seeing a thick edge sail through to Zak Crawley at slip.
He finally conceded his first run at the start of his fourth over, but by then he had already made an eye- catching first impression and left the field with figures of 5- 4- 2- 2.
Opener Mikyle Louis had lasted 58 balls on his maiden test innings, collecting four fours on his way to 27, but played and missed several times against Stokes before eventually nicking one. Harry Brook dived to pluck an outstanding one- handed catch an inch above the turf. Anderson returned for a second spell before lunch but could not land the wicket he craved, coming closest when Kavem Hodge squirted an inside edge past leg stump as he departed with figures of nought for 20.
BRIEF SCORES: West Indies 121 all out ( Mikyle Louis 27; Gus Atkinson 7/ 45) vs England 30/ 1 ( Zak Crawley 24; Jayden Seales 1/ 3) by 91 runs at tea.