Follow UsGus Atkinson couldn’t hide his excitement after registering record figures on debut on day one of the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s on July 10 (Wednesday). The tearaway quick picked up 7/45, the second-best spell for an English bowler on Test debut. It was the third-best-ever figures for a bowler in his first bowling innings in Tests, behind Bob Massie (1972) and Kyle Abbott (2013).
"I don't think it's sunk in yet. I was looking up at the board seeing my figures and just thinking, 'Wow.' A very special day. I was a bit nervous this morning. I woke up and all I could think about was the day ahead. I was a bit emotional this morning and then having my family there for my cap presentation - if you could have asked me what I wanted from my day that was pretty close to the top. It was pretty cool,” said Atkinson.
“I was trying to keep as level as possible. My dad was saying, 'It's the biggest day of your life.' I was like 'Relax! Relax - try not to think like that.' I was a bit nervous to start with but once the first few overs were bowled I was pretty calm. Just to take a five-for is amazing, more than I could have dreamed of.”
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Asked to bat, the West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis managed to see off the first 10 overs and that’s when Ben Stokes introduced Atkinson into the attack. The 26-year-old took just two deliveries to knock over West Indies captain Brathwaite. He also got rid of Kirk McKenzie in the same spell. In his second spell, Atkinson took three wickets in the space of four deliveries and helped England bundle out the West Indies for just 121 runs.
"My stock ball is that scrambled seam, it felt like today, bowling with the slope, bowling from the Pavilion End, that was my most dangerous ball. I was targeting the fourth stump and trying to run it down the hill and with the left-handers, I was trying to push it across them with the odd in-swinger,” explained Atkinson.
“I felt like that was the best way I could get the wickets. The seam was probably a bit more scrambled than I'd like but that is something I can work on. I feel like I can bowl quicker and hit the pitch harder when I bowl scrambled seam and it's worked pretty well for me in the past."
He took two more wickets before James Anderson dismissed Jayden Seales to close the innings. Atkinson’s performance took all the limelight away from Anderson who is playing his final Test. "The focus was on Jimmy so it was nice to go under the radar a bit and just focus on performing as best as I could. To be out there alongside Jimmy in his final test was incredible, being in the Long Room, Jimmy leading us on the pitch was a pretty surreal moment.
"I've played a few white ball games here. It was special, I've always felt like I would bowl quite well here with the red ball so to be able to come out and get the opportunity in the first Test of the summer is great, and thankfully it went well."
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