With only a small crowd and a less-than-ideal pitch at the Lord’s, Sunday turned out to be quite lacklustre. With yet another impressive five-wicket performance from Gus Atkinson, England secured a series victory against Sri Lanka as the clock struck five o’clock local time. This triumph has sparked speculation about the potential for England to achieve an unprecedented streak of flawless test matches this summer, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in two decades.
It’s quite interesting to note that England hasn’t managed to win every single Test match during a home season since 2004. Back then, Michael Vaughan’s team had a remarkable victory against both New Zealand and South Africa. Nevertheless, even with one less test match, the team’s impressive 2-0 lead against Sri Lanka, following their 3-0 triumph over the West Indies, presents an exceptional chance for success. Their convincing 190-run victory in the second Test served to further solidify this. This week’s return to the Oval will surely bring excitement for Ollie Pope. He has been leading the team as a stand-in captain and has managed to secure two consecutive victories. However, he seems to be struggling with his personal performance, particularly in terms of scoring runs.
Just like that famous Vaughan vintage, this England team is on a journey towards a grand finale in the future. It’s a project that’s still in the making, not quite the finished masterpiece. Despite the absence of key players Ben Stokes, Zak Crawley, and Mark Wood due to injuries, they managed to maintain their winning streak. There’s been quite a buzz about their revamped lineup, especially with the addition of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad to their bowling attack. And it seems like their winning streak is still going strong. Even though their rivals for this summer might be struggling in the current global economy, they still deserve credit.
It’s no secret that having a star player can make a huge difference, and Joe Root has certainly been a standout performer over the past two years. His performance here was nothing short of exceptional. Did you hear about his incredible performance? He managed to score two hundred, bringing his total to 34 and surpassing Alastair Cook’s record for centuries scored by an Englishman in Test matches. What’s even more exciting is that despite being 33 years old and recently stepping down as captain, he still has plenty of time left to make his mark.
However, this match also saw Atkinson’s remarkable start to his career as a Test cricketer, which carried on throughout the game. His impressive score of 118 in the first inning, achieved from the eighth position, was not a reckless display from a weak tailender. Instead, it showcased the skill and finesse of a true batsman. Despite his peroxide-tinted hair, which some speculate is a nod to the pint of Guinness he enjoyed after his farewell test, Anderson comes across as a serious and modest person.
When Atkinson resumed his regular duties, he maintained his impressive streak of taking at least two wickets per innings, a trend he has been upholding since his debut in July. His impressive performance on the fourth day, taking five wickets for 62 runs from sixteen overs, played a crucial role in the tourists’ final score of 292. Their ambitious attempt to chase down 483 runs fell short.
There was quite a buzz surrounding Sri Lanka’s second innings, as Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, and Dhananjaya de Silva all scored impressive half-centuries. Their performance made it clear that their hosts would not have an easy time getting rid of them. However, England will be heading to the Oval with some interesting news about the combined efforts of Pope’s bowlers, with Atkinson once again standing out.