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Captaincy might be giving Ollie Pope the jitters when he bats, but in the field there were elements of Ben Stokes about his tactical prowess as England moved into a commanding position in the second Test.
Pope is heading for a second successive win in charge with England 25 for one, 256 ahead and all set to press the Bazball button.
Pope could be the one to push it. After refusing the follow-on he turned down a nightwatchman after Dan Lawrence fell in the half hour before the close.
Now he can answer the concerns about his batting as England plan rapid progress to a lead above 450 and a quick kill.
Gus Atkinson’s “surreal” century, which is how he described it, and an efficient all-round seam performance that bundled Sri Lanka out for 196 in 55.3 overs were two more steps in the evolution of this England side. Atkinson proved in style he brings steel to the tail.
Meanwhile, an attack that was ripped up at the start of the summer, and a year ago boasted more than 1,600 wickets, made short shrift of Sri Lanka and for the ninth time in a row grabbed all 10 wickets in an innings.
Pope can rightly take the credit for two of those, his positioning of the field bringing a couple of crucial breakthroughs. He brought Olly Stone on early, the seventh over of the innings, a sign of confidence in a bowler playing his first Test for three years.
Galvanised, Stone bowled Dimuth Karunaratne chopping on to the first ball of his second over. Now Pope squeezed. He positioned a leg slip for Pathum Nissanka, who obligingly clipped Stone straight there where Matt Potts grabbed the catch.
Stokes made leg slip and leg gully attacking positions, and Pope carried it on. Dinesh Chandimal turned Atkinson to Lawrence at leg gully for 23. A dead-eyed run out, Pope steadying himself to take aim to dismiss Lahiru Kumara for a duck with a direct hit, completed a good day in the field for the captain.
Michael Vaughan voiced his doubts about Pope on Thursday, questioning his temperament as captain. “He’s not the kind of personality I’d want as the England captain. He’s quite an insecure human being – a great team guy and person but throwing the captaincy on him has added the pressure.”
Vaughan was referring to his batting, and backs Harry Brook as a better long-term candidate. Many feel the same. Pope just does not inspire confidence with his skittishness but if he can make a success of captaincy he gives the selectors another reason to give him a longer rope, rather than cut the cord and pick someone else. Pope himself before this Test said there had been some “brutal changes” by Brendon McCullum recently. Everyone is on their toes, so he knows he needs runs.
Vaughan believes Pope should copy Root and his pre-innings routine of “stretching, touching his toes” to “get his legs going” and “sprints on to the field”. Pope did the same as he headed out in the evening gloom.
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Can he now repeat Root’s hundred and learn from the ice-cool batting of his fellow Surrey man Atkinson? His hundred was a remarkable exhibition, the kind you expect from a No 3 like Pope, not a tailender with a previous first-class high of 91 against a Sri Lanka development XI in Beckenham.
In just under five days worth of cricket at Lord’s across two matches Atkinson wrote his name on both honours boards. When he drove Kumara through the off side to reach three figures he became only the sixth cricketer in history to manage a century, take five wickets in an innings and 10 in a match at Lord’s.
Atkinson showed no signs of a sleepless night
The last No 8 to score a Test hundred for England was Peter Willey against West Indies at the Oval in 1980 when it is fair to say the attack was a bit sharper than Sri Lanka’s, however given that was more than 40 years ago it places into context Atkinson’s achievement.
Restarting on 73, he showed no signs of a sleepless night thinking about his hundred. He flicked his first ball off his legs for four, drove the next hard through the covers to the boundary. The only alarm was his third ball, an lbw appeal given out but the angle of the Lord’s slope suggested a leg-side call. Hawkeye kept the dream alive.
There was one more alarm on 99 when he played an airy drive outside off. There were oohs from the crowd, thinking he may have edged it. And the danger period is always when a player starts to believe the century is within their grasp. But at no stage did Atkinson appear to get ahead of himself. Next he dispatched for four.
His hundred came off just 103 deliveries with 11 fours and four sixes, the kind of quick lick Pope would have been proud of and he added another three boundaries before the fun was over, ended by a magnificent catch taken over his head running towards the boundary at deep midwicket by Milan Rathnayake.
Sri Lanka had been flogged. England’s 427 was far beyond what they should have made when Atkinson came in at 216 for six but it was what they deserved for the negative decision to bowl first in good batting conditions. They had no answer as the game slipped away quickly, two down at lunch.
Chris Woakes struck with the new ball and was on the money all day. Potts bowled superbly, far better than last week, conceding runs at a little more than one an over as he took two for 21 while Stone was not as quick as Mark Wood but strong in his action as he bowled in the upper 80mphs.
Sri Lanka batted poorly, their top order gifting wickets and only Kumara Mendis’s lusty counter-attacking 74, which included a top-edged six that poleaxed an MCC member, gave them respectability.
It’s surreal, says Gus Atkinson as he joins Ian Botham on Lord’s honours board
Gus Atkinson said that his achievements were “surreal” after continuing his extraordinary start to his Test career by hitting a maiden century against Sri Lanka, tying with Sir Ian Botham as the fastest man to get on all three honours boards at Lord’s.
After taking 12 wickets on Test debut against Sri Lanka last month, Atkinson’s 118 means that he is now on all three boards at the ground – for taking a five-wicket haul in an innings, a 10-wicket haul in a match, and scoring a century. Only Botham, England’s legendary former all-rounder, previously secured a place on the honours board in his opening two Test matches.
“It’s been a pretty special two Tests here at Lord’s,” Atkinson said. “I don’t think I could have asked for much more.
“I just try and play my own game and thankfully it’s gone pretty well and will hopefully continue to go pretty well.
“It’s very surreal. I’ve always thought of the Lord’s honours board growing up and pictured myself up there for my bowling, so it’s incredible to see myself up there with the bat! I couldn’t ask for more.”
Atkinson also joins a club of just six players to feature on all three honours boards at Lord’s. Alongside Botham, the others are Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Gubby Allen. Australia’s Keith Miller is the only overseas player to register the feat.
“My dad, brother and sister were here today and also a few mates so it was a pretty special day,” Atkinson said as he basked in the acclaim of his feat.
“I’m so thrilled that he’s managed to express himself with the bat and the ball.” ❤️
Gus Atkinson’s father reacts with great pride as his son scores his maiden century at the Home of Cricket 👏#LoveLords | #ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/XYLB1Sv337
— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 30, 2024
Atkinson, whose previous highest score in first-class cricket was 91, said that he believed that he had the potential to score regular runs at Test level. Growing up, Atkinson was often considered an all-rounder, but had not scored a century in any format of cricket since one for Surrey second XI in 2018.
“Going forward I’d like to bat as high as possible,” he said. “I’ve been frustrated with my batting this year, I haven’t really scored many runs for Surrey at all.
“I know how good of a player I can be and I feel like I’ve got so much natural ability with the bat. I feel like I was moving really well and hitting the ball really cleanly, so it was just one of those days where it comes off for you.”
Resuming his innings 74 not out, Atkinson raced to his century. His 118 came in just 115 balls, and included four sixes.
“I tried not to put too much pressure on myself,” he said of his approach on day two. “If I got out then I got out. I just wanted to continue to play the way I did yesterday. Thankfully it came off for me. It was nice to get there quite quickly this morning.”
‘Every shot he played was perfection’
After erroneously being given out lbw before reaching his century, Atkinson used the decision-review system successfully to earn a reprieve.
“I thought ‘oh no’ and then I remembered I could review it,” he said. “It was nice to get off with a few boundaries and thankfully the lbw was missing.”
Gus’s father, Ed, was among the family members in attendance at Lord’s. Ed, who was congratulated by the likes of current MCC president Mark Nicholas and former president Stephen Fry in the hospitality boxes, hailed his son’s composure during a stunning start to his Test career.
“I’m so thrilled that he’s managed to express himself with the bat and the ball,” Ed said.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan praised Atkinson’s “perfect hundred” and his batting potential.
“As good a hundred I have ever seen,” Vaughan said. “Every shot he played was perfection.
“He must be a brilliant poker player as he gives absolutely nothing away.”
Day two at Lord’s: As it happened…
07:43 PM BST
Boycott’s verdict
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06:43 PM BST
Gus Atkinson speaks to Sky Sports
It’s very surreal. It hasn’t sunk in yet. To score a hundred, I never thought I’d be on the Lord’s honours board for batting so it’s a very cool day. I started to think about the hundred when I was on about 80 and started telling myself to focus on each ball. I went for dinner with Zak and Brooky last night and there was a bit of pressure on from them but thankfully I got there. It was pure elation. I was so happy, so relieved. It was a surreal moment.
06:35 PM BST
CLOSE: ENG 25/1
England lead by 256 runs with nine second wickets left and are on course to wrap up a series victory, probably on Sunday. Two outstanding centuries, from Root and Atkinson, and contributions from all five frontline bowlers has put them on course for victory.
06:33 PM BST
OVER 7: ENG 25/1 (Duckett 14 Pope 2)
Rathanayake starts by beating Pope with one that nipped away and hit him on the back thighpad, too high to justify an appeal. ‘Good nut,’ says Nasser Hussain. Indeed it was. Scrambled seam and it bit into the pitch. It’s a very good over all round even if Pope works a single off his pads and Duckett squeezes one to point but Pope’s balance was very unstable as Rathanayake used the seam and line to use the slope.
06:29 PM BST
OVER 6: ENG 23/1 (Duckett 13 Pope 1)
Maiden for Kumara to Duckett leaves England 254 ahead with one over to come. Miland Rathanayake will bowl it.
06:28 PM BST
OVER 5: ENG 23/1 (Duckett 13 Pope 1)
Whiel one can understand Lawrence’s frustration given he has only a few innings to state his case, likely only two left now, he may nit have known that he hit it given how close bat was to pad, ball hitting bat and pad, bat also hitting pad.
06:24 PM BST
Wicket!
Lawrence c Madushka b Fernando 7 Lawrence shakes his head as he walks off. There was a noise and a spike before the more muffled waves of ball hitting pad. Looked like an inside-edge to me. And sounded like one, too. FOW 22/1
06:22 PM BST
SL review
Lawrence c Madushka b Fernando Hit the pad but was there an inside edge en route to the keeper?
06:21 PM BST
OVER 4: ENG 22/0 (Duckett 13 Lawrence 7)
Duckett climbs into a pull, collaring Fernando’s rather flaccid short ball for four through square leg. The pitch, never lively, is becoming slower and slower. Duckett is beaten by one that nibbles past the outside edge and then plays tip and run into the offside ring.
06:16 PM BST
OVER 4: ENG 16/0 (Duckett 8 Lawrence 7)
Kumara continues from the Pavilion End and manages to make one leap awkwardly off a decent length at Lawrence who lets it by, as he does three others in the over. Duckett took a single off the first ball with a midwicket flick off middle and off.
06:11 PM BST
OVER 3: ENG 15/0 (Duckett 8 Lawrence 7)
Rathanayake, who made a wonderful catch this morning, saves four with a running, leaping stop at cover. He may be the best fast bowling fielder out there these days and the best since Chris Jordan left Test cricket.
06:07 PM BST
OVER 2: ENG 14/0 (Duckett 7 Lawrence 7)
Dan Lawrence gets off the mark with a chop down to third man for a single. He has allowed his shirt collar to drop inside his sleeveless sweater which gives him a large expanse of chest at the V-neck and making it seem that he is wearing a vest.
Duckett squeezes a single through short leg and then Lawrence runs hard to turn a midwicket nurdle into two and follows that with a crashing square cut for four.
06:02 PM BST
OVER 1: ENG 6/0 (Duckett 6 Lawrence 0)
Fernando, whose name will join the honours board in the visitors’ dressing room after his five-for this morning, starts on the money with an away swinger that nips back in to Duckett. The pocket battleship of a left-hander then whisks two off his toes and then clubs a pull in front of square for four. He’s not hanging about. But then again, does he ever?
05:51 PM BST
Member struck by Kamindu’s six
05:48 PM BST
SL 196 all out
England will bat again, starting their second innings 231 ahead.
05:46 PM BST
Wicket!
Kamindu c Woakes b Atkinson 74 Another skyer as he tried to go big, swattinmg and clothing a cross-bat swipe to mid-off and Woakes takes the catch. FOW 196
Another terrific innings from Kamindu Mendis – should surely be batting a couple of places higher than 7 for Sri Lanka
05:46 PM BST
OVER 55: SL 195/9 (Kamindu 74 Fernando 0)
Joe Root drops a sitter at deep backward square. Kamindu took on the short ball again and top edged the hook but Root grassed it, the ball bursting through his hands. Kamindu slaps a cut for two to make the most of his life then pulls a flaccid half-tracker through midwicket for four and finishes with another hook that sails into the members and a member for six! There’s a break in play while the member is given some treatment and seems to be sitting up now. Not sure where it hit him.
After all that, Kumara runs himself out.
05:41 PM BST
Wicket!
Kumara run out (Pope) 0 Backed up too far and was sent back. Pope took an age from point to plant his feet and take aim but then threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s Dead-eye Dick style. FOW 195/9
05:35 PM BST
OVER 54: SL 183/8 (Kamindu 62 Kumara 0)
Maiden for Atkinson at Kumara.
05:34 PM BST
OVER 53: SL 183/8 (Kamindu 62 Kumara 0)
Stone comes on with strict instructions to pepper Kamindu who hooks the first over his shoulder but turns down the run, then brilliantly hooks the next for six. The umpires allow Stone a third bouncer in succession and this one is top edged on the hook flush into his grille by Kamindu.
Actually they don’t allow it and warn Stone as he the batsman is checked for concussion and given a new helmet. No ball.
Stone decides to target his goolies instead and lands a bullseye that makes one, and him, wince. Stone keeps Kamindu down that end with a nip-backer that he can only drag to midwicket.
Atkinson is brought back, too, presumably for another barrage. The partnership is 30 and Kumara’s contribution is zero in runs but a very valuable 16-ball duration.
05:19 PM BST
OVER 52: SL 176/8 (Kamindu 56 Kumara 0)
Fifty for Kamindu, brought up with a skip down the pitch and a lofted flick over midwicket for four. Pinball Wizard wrists. Then Bashir drops a tad too short and Kamindu pans it over cover off the back foot with a horizontal bat for four more. Using his feet again he chips a single over cover for a single to give Kumara one ball to survive which he does by Brigadier Blocking it. On come the drinks.
05:16 PM BST
OVER 51: SL 167/8 (Kamindu 47 Kumara 0)
Having only just cleared cover with a lofted drive in the previous over, Kamindu does it again with a slice for a single, this time beating Potts’ leap. Root has slip, leg slip, silly point and short leg for Kumara but the left-hander leaves the first tempter alone and then pokes the last ball away.
05:11 PM BST
OVER 50: SL 166/8 (Kamindu 46 Kumara 0)
Bashir resumes with a drag down and Kamindu Mendis swivels into a pull to smack the ball over midwicket for four. The left-hander uses his feet to chip two over Duckett at cover and then prods a single through cover.
05:08 PM BST
OVER 49: SL 159/8 (Kamindu 39 Kumara 0)
Root continues in his sleeveless sweater and is turning the ball away from the left-handers. Kamindu waits for the dip in his crease to push a single to cover and Kumara thwarts the arm ball with a full face.
Bashir is coming back on from the same end… what was that Woakes one-over spell about? Is His Holiness playing at MS Dhoni?
05:05 PM BST
OVER 48: SL 158/8 (Kamindu 38 Kumara 0)
Woakes has four slips for the No 10 but pushes one so far across the left-hander from over the wicket that it is called wide and he decides to come round. In 39 innings in Tests Kumara’s highest is 13*.
Coming round doesn’t help Woakes’ line and Kumara plays it out without drama.
04:59 PM BST
OVER 47: SL 157/8 (Kamindu 38 Kumara 0)
Kamindu cloths a lofted drive through cover for two but Root pins him at that end for the remaining three deliveries and Chris Woakes will switch ends to have a dart at Kumara, who averages 4 in Tests, from the Pavilion End.
04:57 PM BST
OVER 46: SL 155/8 (Kamindu 36 Kumara 0)
Bashir is similarly managed by Kamindu who takes the single this time off the fourth ball of the over which he eases into the offside. Kumara diligently blocks the final two balls.
Interesting bowling change which suggests they might enforce the follow on if they can. Joe Root will replace Chris Woakes.
04:54 PM BST
OVER 45: SL 154/8 (Kamindu 35 Kumara 0)
Kamindu plays out four dot balls then farms the strike off Woakes’ off-cutter, slapping it into the offside. Kumara survives the one ball Kamindu allowed him by refusing to follow the ball angled across him from over the wicket.
04:50 PM BST
OVER 44: SL 153/8 (Kamindu 34 Kumara 0)
Bashir gets his wicket but there’s a very muted response from the crowd after the initial euphoria. Booze = post-tea snooze in general but there was an oddly becalmed atmosphere at Lord’s yesterday throughout. Can Kamindu accelerate?
04:46 PM BST
Wicket!
Jayasuriya b Bashir 8 Fine bowling, luring him into temptation and then enticing him with the flight, dips rapidly and rags through the gate to knock back off stump. FOW 153/8
04:46 PM BST
OVER 43: SL 152/7 (Kamindu 33 Jayasuriya 8)
Woakes replaces Potts and reels off five dot balls to Jayasuriya after Kamindu took a single off the first ball with a cover drive. Sri Lanka going nowhere.
04:40 PM BST
OVER 42: SL 151/7 (Kamindu 32 Jayasuriya 8)
Bashir keeps thwarting Kamindu’s dancing feet by using dip to stop him driving over the top from down the pitch. At last the left-hander cuts a wider one for a single and advances the score, closing England’s lead to 275…
04:38 PM BST
Family and club pride
Here’s the moment when Gus Atkinson’s father watched his son bring up his maiden Test century and how he was enveloped by the affectionate embrace of his fellow MCC members:
“I’m so thrilled that he’s managed to express himself with the bat and the ball.” ❤️
Gus Atkinson’s father reacts with great pride as his son scores his maiden century at the Home of Cricket 👏#LoveLords | #ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/XYLB1Sv337
— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 30, 2024
04:36 PM BST
OVER 41: SL 150/7 (Kamindu 31 Jayasuriya 8)
Forgot to say that Finny had the honour this morning. Another maiden, this time for Potts to Jayasuriya who tries to wake the scoreboard operator with a flashing drive which flies off the edge on the bounce to point.
04:31 PM BST
OVER 40: SL 150/7 (Kamindu 31 Jayasuriya 8)
Nice tight maiden from Bashir as the partnership sticks on 32. Kamindu tries charge the spinner but Bashir watches his feet, ratchets back his length and stops the assault.
04:30 PM BST
OVER 39: SL 150/7 (Kamindu 31 Jayasuriya 8)
Potts hoops an inswinger from round the wicket past Kamindu’s backside for four byes, giving Smith no chance. His adjustment sticks the ball down the channel and Kamindu stands tall to punch it for a single. Potts comes back over for Jayasuriya and beats him with a bog outswinger. He rolls his left ankle in his delivery stride but grins and bears it to complete the over.
04:23 PM BST
OVER 38: SL 145/7 (Kamindu 30 Jayasuriya 8)
Bashir continues with his new approach of bowling a wider line and turning it into off-stump and Jayasuriya clumps a drive for two and then fires one on to middle to try to exploit the leg slip but Jayasuriya covers the bounce and turn, tapping it down between leg slip and short leg.
04:20 PM BST
OVER 37: SL 143/7 (Kamindu 30 Jayasuriya 6)
Softly, softly from Sri Lanka. Just the single off Potts’ over which keeps the right-hander quiet with bounce and it persuades Pope to turn to Bashir for the next over, his first bowl of the Test.
04:18 PM BST
OVER 36: SL 142/7 (Kamindu 30 Jayasuriya 5)
Jayasuriya works a single through midwicket off Stone and Kamindu defends with meticulous technique to play out the rest of the over. At the start of the over, when Jayasuriya had a big back-foot woof at a back-of-a-length delivery that climbed, I was sure I heard a snick but no one else did. Maybe it was a creaky bat handle.
04:12 PM BST
OVER 35: SL 141/7 (Kamindu 30 Jayasuriya 4)
Potts replaces Woakes at the Nursery End and strays on to the right-handed Jayasuriya’s pads and he uses the angle to work it round the corner for a single. Potts tempts Kamindu to have a dart at one angled across his body, looking to go over leg gully, but misses the ball. He middles the next one though, carving a square cut for four behind point.
04:07 PM BST
OVER 34: SL 136/7 (Kamindu 26 Jayasuriya 3)
Prabath Jayasuriya, who has four first-class half centuries, slaps Stone’s first ball through point for two and then drills a back-foot drive for a single.
Kamindu scuffs at a pull, misses the ball and it kisses his hip to scuttle away for four leg-byes.
04:01 PM BST
Olly Stone has the ball in his hand
And Sri Lanka start the evening session 298 behind.
03:46 PM BST
TEA: SL 129/7
Sril Lanka are staring down the barrel of a follow on or an enormous deficit after winning the toss and putting England in. It’s been all seam for England and all four of Atkinson, Woakes, Stone and Potts have bowled well but Woakes has been masterly in his harnessing of ball and conditions, first among equals.
03:43 PM BST
OVER 33: SL 129/7 (Kamindu 26 Jayasuriya 0)
Woakes gives us a pre-tea appetiser of a ripper that angles in from over the wicket, straightens and whistles past Kamindu’s edge. He almost bursts out laughing at how good that was and the lack of reward but contents himself with the broadest of smiles before heading back to the pavilion for a well-earned break.
03:41 PM BST
OVER 32: SL 128/7 (Kamindu 26 Jayasuriya 0)
Stylish drive from Kamindu Mendis again, opening the face to caress it through point for four. Stine’s had enough of that, comes back over the wicket and goes short, Kamindu ducking one and defending the next off his toes.
03:35 PM BST
OVER 31: SL 124/7 (Kamindu 22 Jayasuriya 0)
He’s got the world on a string and he’s sitting on a rainbow … Woakes’ mastery of the ball is illustrated magnificently in the over, beating Jayasuriya with one that nips away, one that turns him into a capital S as he groped after a straightening ball and finally the inswinger that beats the inside edge as the No 9 went for the flick.
03:30 PM BST
OVER 30: SL 124/7 (Kamindu 22 Jayasuriya 0)
Stone continues and bounces Kamindu from round the wicket and the left-hander, who is wasted at No7, pulls him hard over his shoulder for six. Eoin ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ Morgan says ‘England won’t mind that’. Morgan would go all in with a pair of fours.
03:27 PM BST
OVER 29: SL 118/7 (Kamindu 16 Jayasuriya 0)
Woakes ends the over with figures of 8-2-18-2, bagging the No 8 off the last ball of his comeback over after Kamindu steers two wide off gully of a controlled thick edge and then clips a single down to fine leg.
03:22 PM BST
Wicket!
Rathanayake c Smith b Woakes 19 Good catch and even better bowling from the attack leader who angled it across from over the wicket, straightened it, kissed the edge by the splice and Smith took it low to his left with a springy dive. FOW 118/7
03:18 PM BST
OVER 28: SL 115/6 (Kamindu 13 Rathnayake 19)
Rathnyake is struck on the side of the helmet by a Stone bouncer, turning his eyes away from the ball rather than ducking.
On comes the physio for a concussion test and a new lid after England check that he’s OK.
Ruthless Stone clonks him again, this time on the glove, with another bouncer straight after the recommencement. England post a leg gully to go with the forward short leg. Stone pitches up a bit further, still back of a length, and Rathanayake glides it wide of the slips off the edge by the splice for four. Chris Woakes is summoned for a third spell.
Another Sky statistic of relevance. Sri Lanka, until today, have batted well in general at Lord’s. Starting in 1984 they have averaged 38 runs per wicket prior to this game. Only South Africa, with 39, have averaged more. So why have SL failed so far this time? Their openers dragged on by playing with bats at 45 degrees. Angelo Mathews tried a lazy clip instead of playing straight… and Matthew Potts has improved, especially round the wicket against LHBs. James Anderson at work?
03:12 PM BST
OVER 27: SL 110/6 (Kamindu 12 Rathnayake 15)
After five dot balls from Potts, Kamindu farms the strike with a push through mid-off for a single.
Good Lord! Rehan Ahmed’s little brother had already had a first day of a debut to remember. But look at his figures now:
03:07 PM BST
OVER 26: SL 109/6 (Kamindu 11 Rathnayake 15)
Stone replaces Atkinson and continues round the wicket, trying to cramp Kamindu’s style. The left-hander works the first ball off middle behind square for a single, as does Rathnayake. Change of angle has been tricky for Stone to nail at the start of his spell.
03:01 PM BST
OVER 25: SL 106/6 (Kamindu 9 Rathnayake 14)
The two left-handers are trying to stroke their way out of trouble and Kamindu plays the best drive of the lot, creaming an off-drive past Potts for four.
Pope tries to get the ball changed after four fours but it passes the hoop test then, next ball,, burns another review.
02:59 PM BST
Another terrible DRS referral
Pope seems quite suggestible. Looked very high and so it proved when Potts angled one on to middle and leg from round the wicket. NOT OUT.
02:58 PM BST
ENG review
Kamindu lbw b Potts
02:56 PM BST
OVER 24: SL 101/6 (Kamindu 4 Rathnayake 14)
England have set that trap quite openly and for both Chandimal and Nissanka to fall into it is preposterous.
Rathnayake, who made 72 in the first innings at Manchester, starts with 4-4-2-4 off successive Atkinson deliveries, all through cover, his right elbow nice and high and, admittedly, with some help from Atkinson overpitching. Looked graceful nonetheless
02:50 PM BST
Wicket!
Chandimal c Lawrence b Atkinson 23 Having battled and battled he gives it away with a lazy flick to leg gully as if he didn’t know the fielder was there. Lawrence, who has replaced Potts in the position while the bowler is mid-spell, dives forward to take it comfortably. FOW 87/6
Another soft dismissal – but also another quirky fielding position that pays off for Ollie Pope. There’s now been one wicket caught at leg slip, and one at leg gully.
02:49 PM BST
OVER 23: SL 87/5 (Chandimal 23 Kamindu 4)
Kamindu gets off the mark with a handsome stroke, hammering a cover drive for four off Potts from round the wicket, the width allowing him to punch it and then lift his right elbow through the shot. He has a very soft bottom hand grip. Great way to get off the mark.
02:42 PM BST
OVER 22: SL 83/5 (Chandimal 23 Kamindu 0)
Maiden for Atkinson before drinks. Chandimal edges the nip-backer into his pad but the looping ball falls well short of Duckett at third slip. Sri Lanka are in a very deep hole, 145 runs from avoiding the follow on even if England hardly ever enforce it.
02:39 PM BST
OVER 21: SL 83/5 (Chandimal 23 Kamindu 0)
Potts bags two wickets and then comes round the wicket to Kamindu Mendis, who has taken a middle and off guard as England try to attack him from the unorthodox angle, to which he succumbed, albeit after batting wonderfully, at Old Trafford.
Superb over from Potts in an excellent spell.
02:34 PM BST
Wicket!
Dhananjaya c Brook b Potts 0 Two in four balls for Potts. Again the captain was looking to turn the ball to leg, it straightened on him down the slop, took the outside edge after he had turned the bat and popped to second slip. FOW 83/5
02:31 PM BST
Wicket!
Mathews b Potts 22 A ripper from Potts which has been coming. Angled in, nips away and clips the top of off as Mathews, squared up once more, topples over as he gropes after the moving ball he was trying to whip through square leg. Jaffa. FOW 83/4
02:30 PM BST
OVER 20: SL 83/3 (Mathews 22 Chandimal 23)
A boundary apiece for Mathews and Chandimal off Atkinson, Angelo’s coming with a dab down to third man, Chandimal’s with a bludgeoned square cut.
02:28 PM BST
OVER 19: SL 72/3 (Mathews 17 Chandimal 18)
Mathews is squared up by another ball that zips through, catching the veteran batsman between front and back foot, the ball climbing on him and whistling past the shoulder. Ange then flicks a single square, Chandimal is struck high on the leg once more and goes fishing outside off. Potts stifles a celebration halfway up his throat, strangling it into a yelp as the edge off a big drive lands six inches short of Duckett diving forward at third slip.
02:22 PM BST
OVER 18: SL 69/3 (Mathews 15 Chandimal 18)
Essex’s Second XI keeper Ronnie McKenna is on as a sub fielder for Harry Brook as Gus Atkinson replaces Olly Stone. Chandimal plays a lovely shot, part drive, part whip, through mid-on for four but is beaten by a shooter that nibbles the pitch and veers between bat and pad at ankle height. Atkinson tests the variable bounce again with a short one but this one sits up and Chandimal pats a pull for two.
Brook comes back on at the end of the over.
02:19 PM BST
OVER 17: SL 61/3 (Mathews 14 Chandimal 11)
Maiden for Durham’s Caractacus but he almost bags Mathews who was tempted to have a poke at one that veered away from the edge down the Lord’s slope. For anyone with hopes of going on Sunday and watching a fair amount of play, that was a boon.
02:14 PM BST
OVER 16: SL 61/3 (Mathews 14 Chandimal 11)
Now Mathews is hit between pad and thighpad and made to hop. Not as bad as being hit on the knee while padless or fielding but it can give you a deadleg and make you walk like the Tin Man in my bitter experience. Stone has a greasy big grin plastered all over his face. Nothing like the pain of others to raise a smile. As Mel Brooks said: ‘Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.’
Mathews gets down the other end with a clip through square leg for a single then Chandimal check-drives with crisp precision for what turns out to be four after Woakes just brushed the rope as he sprawled to try to drag it back.
02:08 PM BST
OVER 15: SL 56/3 (Mathews 13 Chandimal 7)
Chandimal is in the wars. Wood pummelled his thumb at Old Trafford and now Potts, who has two haircuts in one, a touch of Lloyd Christmas/Phil Foden in front, Pimlico Plumbers man/Rod Stewart at the back, hits him on the same knuckle again. He gives the hand a shake and carries on. Just two leg-byes off the over, Smith saving the boundary with a dive down the legside to parry the ball towards long leg.
02:03 PM BST
OVER 14: SL 54/3 (Mathews 13 Chandimal 7)
Stone drops short and Mathews is in like Flynn, carting him on the pull for a brutal four. He then opens the face to dab a single down to third man and Chandimal, who is clumped in the fleshy part of the thigh, just like poor Marvin of Da Lux’s crew by Bobby Bacala, when one nips back between pad and thighpad, brushes off the pain after a wince with a nice cover drive for three.
At the end of the over on comes the physio to spray Chandimal’s bruise.
01:59 PM BST
OVER 13: SL 45/3 (Mathews 8 Chandimal 3)
Woakes sticks with four slips and a leg gully and racks up his second maiden as Mathews tries to build the foundations of a recovery. It’s Angelo’s eighth Test in England and he averages 45.81 with two hundreds here which is on par with his career average over 111 Tests of 45.44. I can’t remember how many times he was written off as a Test player, largely because of his fitness, the strains of bowling wreaking havoc with his mobility in the field. But what a batsman he has been.
01:55 PM BST
OVER 12: SL 45/3 (Mathews 8 Chandimal 3)
Stone is consistently at about 88mph but even were he 10mph quicker he wouldn’t get away with a half-volley on middle and leg and Mathews cashes in with a twist of the wrists, caressing it past the square leg umpire for four. Mathews does the same for a quarter of the return next ball and Chandimal pokes two wide of gully down to third man.
01:51 PM BST
OVER 11: SL 36/3 (Mathews 2 Chandimal 0)
Excellent, probing over from Woakes who takes a shot across Mathews’ bows when the veteran looks to advance by treating him to a sharp bouncer that forces him off his feet to fend off his Adam’s apple. He pops the ball into the legside but there’s no bat-pad and they jog a single. Chandimal is gated by a nip-backer that whistles past off-stump. Woakes is bowling beautifully. As he so often does in England.
With reference to his catch at leg slip off Olly Stone: Matthew Potts may not be a complete Test bowler yet but he offers a good all round package and not least as a close catcher. He has fielded at slip for Durham’s spinner, and that catch at leg slip required good footwork as well as safe hands.
01:46 PM BST
OVER 10: SL 35/3 (Mathews 1 Chandimal 0)
Good afternoon. Bagchi here again. Olly Stone has five balls left. Incidentally, and this is a niche Oliver question, how do you decide whether you’re Oli, Olly or Ollie to your chums? Where’s our man Brown when you need him?
The original Big Ange gets off the mark by leaning back and using a strong bottom hand to poke a single into the legside. Nissanka flicks two off his toes and then falls into the trap. Nissanka has to prop himself up with his bat for a moment as his legs buckle with disappointment at being suckered. Smart catch as it came fast if straight.
01:43 PM BST
Wicket!
Nissanka c Potts b Stone 12 Oh dear. A second wicket in the over for Stone, 45 minutes apart. A legside strangle with a difference as Nissanka actually middled his clip … straight to leg gully. FOW 35/3
01:25 PM BST
A morning to remember for Archie Vaughan too
Son of our own Michael starts with a wicket maiden:
01:21 PM BST
Lunch report
A morning to remember at Lord’s with Gus Atkinson’s maiden Test hundred and Olly Stone’s first wicket for three years in only his second over. Sri Lanka started this Test well but two poor sessions – last night and this morning – will lose them the match and series unless they can stage a recovery.
Bowling first was always asking a lot of their seam attack and denied the spinner the best conditions, bowling last in the fourth innings. Atkinnson made the most of a tired attack last night and started the morning with belief he could go on and score a hundred. He was fed a few easy balls but also played majestically.
You could argue Ollie Pope is the weakest Surrey batsman in the side…
It is huge credit to England’s leadership that they generate an environment without cliques or hierarchy so players like Atkinson, Smith and now Stone can walk in and feel part of the team straightaway.
01:04 PM BST
Lunch: England lead by 395 runs
The wicket means the players will take lunch with five balls of that 10th over. It’s been a feelgood morning at Lord’s. Gus Atkinson completed a startling maiden Test century before being outrageously caught by Milan Rathnayeke, then Chris Woakes and, more poignantly, Olly Stone took early wickets.
01:01 PM BST
Wicket!
Karunaratne b Stone 7 All that rehab, all those operations, all those lonely squat thrusts have just been rewarded: Olly Stone has taken his first Test wicket since 2021! Karunaratne tried to drive the first ball of Stone’s second over and dragged it back onto the stumps. Stone clenched both fists in celebration, but tellingly he was smiling as he did so. Bowlers don’t always start grinning when they take a wicket; bowlers don’t always have three years of injuries between Test wickets. Well in Olly! FOW: 32/2
01:00 PM BST
OVER 9: SL 32/1 (Karunaratne 7 Nissanka 10)
Woakes beats Nissanka, who lands a retaliatory blow by clattering the next delivery to the cover boundary. He’s a really good player this guy.
Sri Lanka get four bonus runs when the ball deflects off Nissanka’s pad and bounces through the tumbling Smith.
12:55 PM BST
OVER 8: SL 24/1 (Karunaratne 7 Nissanka 6)
Olly Stone, playing his first Test in three years, will get an over before lunch. Nissanka turns his first ball towards short leg, where Lawrence almost pulls off a sensational run-out. He grabbed the ball as it bounced up to his right, then threw at the stumps in the same movement with Nissanka out of his ground after instinctively setting off. The throw missed but it was a spectacular attempt.
It’s a good start from Stone, bowling a very tight line to the right-handed Nissanka at around 85mph. Once he gets in rhythm you’d expect him to push 90mph.
12:51 PM BST
OVER 7: SL 21/1 (Karunaratne 7 Nissanka 3)
Pathum Nissanka survives LBW appeals from his first two deliveries. Both were probably sliding down, or only just hitting leg, but Woakes is all over Sri Lanka. He follows up with a fuller outswinger that Nissanka is brave enough and good enough to drive thbrough mid-off for three.
12:48 PM BST
Wicket!
Madushka b Woakes 7 Nishan Madushka’s luck runs out. He pushed lazily at Woakes, a nothing shot to a nothing ball really, and dragged it back onto the stumps. He’s made 11 runs in three innings in this series; I’m not sure he should have been opening after keeping wicket for 102 overs. FOW: 18/1
12:46 PM BST
OVER 6: SL 18/0 (Madushka 7 Karunaratne 7)
An inswinger from Atkinson to the left-handed Karunaratne is too straight and runs away for four leg-byes. He gets it spot on next ball, leading to a big LBW shout that is turned down by Paul Reiffel. Again England don’t really discuss a review, presumably because of height. That looked extremely close.
12:44 PM BST
A rare blemish from Smith
Jamie Smith has had such an immaculate start to his Test career. That’s a slight blemish – he didn’t dive for that edge from Madushka, which flew past Joe Root’s dive to his left for four. In partial mitigation, Smith has only kept at Lord’s once before.
12:41 PM BST
OVER 5: SL 13/0 (Madushka 6 Karunaratne 7)
Woakes has started quite beautifully. He beats Karunaratne, then has a big LBW appeal turned down by Joel Wilson. It swung back nicely but may have been a touch high. It looked close though and I’m surprised England didn’t discuss a review.
12:39 PM BST
OVER 4: SL 11/0 (Madushka 6 Karunaratne 5)
Two from Atkinson’s second over.
12:33 PM BST
OVER 3: SL 9/0 (Madushka 5 Karunaratne 4)
Madushka pushes tentatively at Woakes and edges straight between Smith and Root at first slip. Whose catch is it anyway? The commentators reckon it was Smith’s, and they’ll be thrilleed to know that I agree, but he didn’t move and Root couldn’t reach it as he dived to his left. The ball ran away for four, which doubles Madushka’s series tally.
12:29 PM BST
OVER 2: SL 4/0 (Madushka 0 Karunaratne 4)
Plenty of lower-order batsmen – Mitchell Johnson was a good example – bowl better when they have scored runs. Gus Atkinson’s second ball is loose, on the pads and put away by Karunaratne. The third goes past the edge, leading to a big appeal for caught behind from the slips but not the keeper or bowler.
England review, and it’s a stinker. There was daylight between bat and ball, so much so that they didn’t even go to UltraEdge. The noise that got Root and Brook excited was bat on pad. On Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain says that Jamie Smith needed to be stronger because he had a better view and didn’t appeal at all.
An interesting over ends with Karunaratne playing and missing for the second time.
12:24 PM BST
OVER 1: SL 0/0 (Madushka 0 Karunaratne 0)
A good start from Woakes, very tight line to the right-hander Madushka with an inkling of swing. A maiden. Madushka failed twice at Old Trafford and just needs to get through to lunch.
12:18 PM BST
Time for Sri Lanka’s reply
Here come the openers, Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka, who replaced the No3 Kusal Mendis in the team but has been moved up to open. That’s partly to give the wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka a bit of time to decompress.
Edit: Madushka is opening, in fact, with Nissanka at No3. Hmm, that’s interesting.
12:13 PM BST
Innings break
England will gladly accept that total, especially as they were 216/6 shortly after tea on day one. Gus Atkinson’s remarkable 118, full of the cleanest hitting, drove them to what is still probably only a par score on this pitch. If Sri Lanka can get through the new ball, something they conspicuously failed to do at Old Trafford, there will be plenty of runs on offer.
12:10 PM BST
Wicket!
Stone c Kamindu b Asitha 15 Asitha Fernando is on the Lord’s honours board! Stone swats a bouncer flat and hard to fine leg, where Kamindu Mendis sees the ball late and takes a pretty good catch. Asitha, who has bowled beautifully at times in both Tests, finishes with 5 for 102 after hoovering up the tail. FOW: 427 all out
12:02 PM BST
OVER 101: ENG 426/9 (Stone 15 Bashir 6)
Fast bowlers’ union is long gone and so is the spinners’ federation as Bashir slog sweeps Jayasuriya for four on the threshold of drinks. Rather a breathless first hour. Here’s Rob Smyth, you lucky people, for a spell.
For those of a numerical disposition: England’s shirt number 37 Gus Atkinson was caught by Sri Lanka’s number 37 Milan Rathnayake. A brilliant catch to end a dazzling innings.
11:58 AM BST
OVER 100: ENG 421/9 (Stone 15 Bashir 1)
Sri Lanka have two out on the pull but Fernando isn’t quick enough and Atkinson gloves the first loopy one for four and then pulls the second fine off his hip for another. But the third, which Atkinson had to fetch from outside off, did the trick. It cost eight runs but he got his man, the man of the moment. Fancy making your first professional hundred in a Test!
Others whose maiden first-class hundred came in a Test are here. Atkinson is Englands’ first since the ubiquitous Stuart Broad.
11:52 AM BST
Wicket!
Atkinson c Rathnayake b Fernando 118 Glorious innings ended by a blinder of a catch at deep backward square. Rathnayake had to turn, run backwards up the slope and dive as the ball came over his shoulder to grab it. Exceptional fielding. FOW 420/9
11:51 AM BST
OVER 99: ENG 409/8 (Atkinson 108 Stone 14)
Atkinson whisks Jayasuriya for a single off his legs, Stone does the same and Atkinson ends the over with a shovelly drive for a single which will give him the strike for Fernando’s chin symphony.
11:47 AM BST
OVER 98: ENG 409/8 (Atkinson 108 Stone 14)
Fernando decides to test whether the effects of the heavy roller have worn off by treating Stone to some chin music. He does mange to extract decent bounce but Stone doesn’t take him on, limboing and swaying out of the road like a cheery drunk at last orders.
11:45 AM BST
Referring back to Vaughan’s thoughts, what do you think?
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11:44 AM BST
OVER 97: ENG 409/8 (Atkinson 108 Stone 14)
A better over from Prabath Jayasuriya after a poor start when he makes a gift of two to Stone by spraying one on to his pads. At the end of the previous over, Atkinson was forced to make his hamstrings scream by sprinting home for a single, called by Stone but he beat the throw and mercifully kept the hammies untwanged.
11:41 AM BST
OVER 96: ENG 406/8 (Atkinson 108 Stone 11)
This has been a remarkable innings from Atkinson. He hasn’t put a foot wrong, batting with power and elegance like a proper all-rounder. Fernando is diced and sliced by Stone to the third man boundary rider for two and then he has a big yahoo outside off at a drive, connects and lamps the right-arm quick for four more.
11:38 AM BST
OVER 95: ENG 399/8 (Atkinson 108 Stone 4)
Sri Lanka switch to spin and Jayasuriya is milked for a pair of singles and Stone’s two, using his wrists to flick the ball behind square.
Gus Atkinson becomes the first England No8 to score a Test hundred since Peter Willey in 1980 against West Indies at the Oval. [Broad was batting at nine in 2010]. What an achievement in only his 4th Test and apart from the crisp strokeplay what was so impressive was just how calm he carried himself throughout his innings, especially in the 90s. There was just one loose shot outside off on 99 but the hundred was brought up in regal style with an off drive for four. He just seems to take everything in his stride, whether batting or bowling. Willey was a dogged, brave player who faced down the mighty West Indies – scoring an even better hundred in Antigua – but Atkinson has peeled off shots that Joe Root or Harry Brook would have been proud of playing.
11:35 AM BST
OVER 94: ENG 395/8 (Atkinson 107 Stone 1)
Swing is a double edged sword for Sri Lanka – it helps them winkle Potts out but now they will have to see if they can withstand Chris Woakes who, let us not forget, he has three five-fors and averages 12.35 in seven Tests.
11:32 AM BST
‘A bit of fun’
An interesting statistic from Benedict Bermange about the only players to have made a Test century when having a lower first-class average than Gus Atkinson
Nasim-ul-Ghani Pak 16.60
AB Agarkar Ind 16.79
SCJ Broad Eng 18.03
TG Evans Eng 20.49
GHS Trott Aus 21.92Apart from the fact that he has made a century, the most remarkable feature of Atkinson’s innings is that he has never tried to hit the ball too hard. It rather reflects his attitude to cricket: it started as a bit of fun at Bradfield, according to his coach Julian Wood in the Telegraph, and thus is has remained. Batting is not something to get obsessive or intense about.
11:27 AM BST
Wicket!
Potts c Fernando b Fernando 21 Outswing, Potts has a big drive and feathers an edge through to the keeper. FOW 393/8
11:26 AM BST
OVER 93: ENG 393/7 (Atkinson 107 Potts 21)
There it is! Atkinson smears four through extra-cover and then, after a heart-stopping wafty play and miss outside off, Atkinson smacks a text-book off-drive for four to bring up his maiden Test century.
What a dream start. He has played four Tests and won them all and now appears on both honours boards at Lord’s. My colleague Rob Smyth points out that he is the first pure No8 (ie not pushed down there by a nightwatchman) to score a Test century since SCJ Broad in 2010, full list here.
Atkinson has equalled the record for the shortest number of Tests taken to get on both Lord’s honours boards – 2 (set by Ian Botham and Vinoo Mankad).
Atkinson lights the candles on the cake with a crunching pull through midwicket for four more.
📅 June 2024 – Never played Test cricket
📅 August 2024 – Has his name on both sides of the Lord’s honours board
Gus Atkinson is some cricketer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XHQtynVcca
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 30, 2024
Another incredible moment for Gus Atkinson at Lord’s this summer – a century, after taking 12 wickets in the earlier Test here.
Remarkable company to be on both Lord’s honours boards. Atkinson now alongside:
Gubby Allen
Keith Miller
Ian Botham
Stuart Broad
Chris Woakes.
11:21 AM BST
OVER 92: ENG 381/7 (Atkinson 95 Potts 21)
Better from Rathnayake, using wobble seam and swing to test Atkinson’s defences and both edges. Once he pushes his outswinger wider, though, Atkinson opens the face to squirt a single through third man. Potts is beaten by a beauty outside off that swings in then jags away. Potts nods his head in appreciation.
11:18 AM BST
OVER 91: ENG 380/7 (Atkinson 94 Potts 21)
If he’s going to get there, he’s going to get there playing the same way as yesterday. Overnight preoccupation with what he might be able to achieve has not infected his approach which is highly commendable. He is being helped by the bowlers and the heavy roller. When Kumara bangs one in, he has all the time he would want to lean back and collar it violently on the pull for four more, his ninth to go with four sixes.
11:12 AM BST
OVER 90: ENG 375/7 (Atkinson 89 Potts 21)
Rathnayake shares opening duties for Sri Lanka and he’s just as sloppy as Kumara, serving up a no-ball on leg stump that Atkinson whisks away for four more. They bowled well intermittently yesterday but as a ‘tone-setter’, as Stuart Broad calls it, so far today this has been garbage… unless, of course the tone they are aiming for is ‘rubbish’. In which case it’s been a roaring success.
Atkinson squirts a single through point, Potts chops one past the same fielder and Atkinson ends the over with one more off a leading edge. To be fair it’s a belter of a batting pitch if you can adjust to the slow bounce.
11:07 AM BST
OVER 89: ENG 367/7 (Atkinson 83 Potts 20)
Right here we go. Lahiru Kumara resumes and treats Atkinson to a gimme on his pads which he skelps round the corner for four. The next ball is on a good length, sits up nicely and Gustavo exploits the width to punch it through the covers on the up for four more. He survives being sawn off by Paul Reiffel ater being given out to a nip-backer. Poor decision that.
Kumara comes back at him, forcing a defensive and then a single off a streaky Harrow drive.
Let’s not jinx him but the highest score by a England batsman coming in at eight, nine, 10 or 11 on the past 10 years is Jamie Overton’s 97 at Headingley two years ago. We will talk about three-figure precedents if and when…
11:03 AM BST
NOT OUT
It was missing leg stump.
11:02 AM BST
England review
Atkinson lbw b Kumara Fell over a bit. Only hope is that it misses leg stump…
10:59 AM BST
Good morning
Bagchi here, fresh from a largely baking day at Lord’s yesterday in good company. Michael Vaughan is not so tranquil this morning, arguing that Ollie Pope is not captaincy material. You can read his thoughts here.
For what it’s worth I dom’t think any of the current XI is and given that there was no point in going back to Root and that it is only a temporary appointment, I’m not sure who else but the vice-captain would have been a judicious pick.
10:35 AM BST
Weather watch
It looks glorious at Lord’s today! 20 degrees, rising to 23, sunny with a gentle breeze. Paradise
10:30 AM BST
‘Don’t even think of declaring!”
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09:59 AM BST
Day two preview: Will Atkinson reach three figures?
Good morning and welcome to what could prove a decisive day at Lord’s.
England resume today on 358-7 thanks to a sublime 143 from Joe Root yesterday, his 33rd Test hundred which equalled Sir Alastair Cook’s England record for the most Test centuries.
And Gus Atkinson blazed four sixes in a Test-best 74 not out from 81 balls after England had lurched to 216 for six. It means Atkinson will have his heart set on reaching three figures today and, ideally, push England’s total beyond 400.
Yesterday, though, belonged to Root and he paid tribute to the late Graham Thorpe at the close of play, admitting afterwards he owes much of his success to his former coach. He pointed to the sky immediately after bringing up three figures. Thorpe died, aged 55, earlier this month after taking his own life.
An emotional Root said: “I’ve been very lucky to work with a lot of people, whether it be senior players, coaches and mentors.
“He was one of those people who offered me so much and it was nice to be able to think of him in that moment. Someone I’m sorely going miss and who I owe a lot to. He put a lot into my game and my career.
“Without his help I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now.”
Root described how Thorpe, a classy left-hander who was capped 100 times in Tests by England and is widely considered one of his generation’s greatest batters, saw the potential in him very early on.
Root said: “Before I’d even made a hundred at first-class level he picked me for an England Lions game against Sri Lanka at Scarborough. He saw something with me and pushed hard for me to go away that winter and work with him.
“He pushed very hard for me to be involved in that India tour where I made my debut (in 2012) and from that point onwards we worked together.
“I was very lucky to have someone like him, along with others. He was the one guy who was constant throughout that 10, 11, 12-year period where I could go to him under pressure and he had a really good understanding of my game.
“It evolved into more than that, we became good friends and I really enjoyed spending a lot of time with him. It was nice to pay a small tribute. He means a lot to me and that was a small thank you.”
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