Gus Atkinson continued his love affair with Lord’s, wrapping up England’s 115-run victory over New Zealand within the first Rothesay Test with one more look on the well-known honours board.
Atkinson took the final three wickets on day 4 to seal figures of 5 for 30, his fourth five-for in simply three appearances to go alongside an surprising century in 2024.
The Surrey seamer hurried the hosts over the road by sweeping apart tailenders Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry, taking his Check document on the residence of cricket to 26 wickets at simply 9.5 apiece.
The outcome by no means appeared doubtful regardless of a counter-punching 44 not out from Glenn Phillips, with New Zealand all out for 138 chasing 254 on a sub-standard batting floor.
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PICTURES: Ben Whitley/PA
Again to winnings methods
The win will get England again to profitable methods following their 4-1 Ashes thrashing in Australia, with Atkinson including to sturdy performances from debutant Emilio Homosexual and new-ball companion Ollie Robinson.
Homosexual’s second-innings 57 was the innings of the match, the very best rating and longest innings on a bowler’s paradise, whereas Robinson’s first look in additional than two years yielded seven wickets.
New Zealand’s place was already perilous as they began out on 55 for 5, with any hopes constructed round their in a single day pairing.
Each have loved memorable days at Lord’s prior to now, Devon Conway making a double century on debut 5 years in the past and Tom Blundell enjoying his half in a 195-run stand in 2022.
Seam motion
However situations this week have been stacked firmly in opposition to the batters and it took simply a few minutes for England to snare a sixth wicket.
It got here in predictable vogue off Tongue’s fourth supply of the morning, with important seam motion and low bounce proving a deadly mixture for Blundell.
For the eleventh time within the match, the umpire’s finger was raised for lbw.
A swift conclusion appeared on when Robinson welcomed Phillips by taking his inside and outside edge with successive deliveries, the all-rounder narrowly surviving on each events.
Harry Brook then dropped Conway at second slip on 24 in Tongue’s subsequent go to.
Calm the nerves
With clinging on doing New Zealand no favours, Phillips initiated a brisk gear change with three boundaries in seven deliveries.
Higher identified for his white-ball recreation, Phillips’ counter-attack injected some jeopardy with a stand of 53 coming off lower than 12 overs.
For the primary time, English eyes had been starting to be drawn to the scoreboard, nevertheless 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 actual mark on the sport when he squared up Conway and had him nicely caught by Jacob Bethell at gully.
5-for
With that glimmer of resistance overcome, Atkinson topped up his figures on the Pavilion Finish.
Smith lasted simply three balls earlier than edging behind and Jamieson lingered solely barely longer earlier than flicking straight to mid-wicket.
Needing yet one more to safe his five-for, Atkinson couldn’t have wished for a extra keen opponent than Henry, bowled for his second duck of the match and the ninth in complete.
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