England Dominates Sri Lanka in Second Test with Atkinson's Heroics

England solidified their lead in the Test series against Sri Lanka, thanks to a remarkable century from fast bowler Gus Atkinson. England declared at 427, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 196. Atkinson, who took 12 wickets in the previous match, continued to shine, now with the bat. England leads by 256 on Day 2.

England moved into a commanding position to win the series against Sri Lanka by taking a firm grasp on the second Test at Lord's, courtesy of an unexpected century by fast bowler Gus Atkinson and another batting collapse by the visitors on Friday.

After Atkinson's thrilling 118 off 115 balls carried England to a total of 427, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 196 in 55.3 overs, facing a daunting 231-run first-innings deficit on Day 2 at the iconic cricket venue.

Opting not to enforce the follow-on, England concluded the day on 25-1, holding a 256-run lead. With a previous win in Manchester, England is on the verge of securing a second consecutive series victory this summer, following a 3-0 sweep over the West Indies last month.

Atkinson has arguably been the standout performer of England's Test summer, marking his name impressively on the Lord's honours board both as a bowler and now as a batsman. He took 12 wickets in his debut against the Windies and has now delivered a maiden Test century with a display of precise ball-striking usually seen from top-order batsmen.

"Incredible. Very surreal. It still hasn't sunk in," Atkinson remarked, reflecting on his performance. His 14 fours and four sixes, including a straight drive to reach his century, made him only the sixth player to achieve both a century and a 10-wicket haul at Lord's, and the sixth fastest to 100 runs at the venue.

Despite his batting exploits, Atkinson admitted that the euphoria did affect his bowling. Nonetheless, he was part of a formidable seam attack, along with Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, and Matt Potts, that effectively dismantled the Sri Lankan lineup with disciplined length and line.

Sri Lanka's batting response saw only Kamindu Mendis show some resistance with a well-fought 74 while the rest struggled to build partnerships. As wickets tumbled, Sri Lanka collapsed from 83-3 to 87-6, allowing England to tighten their grip on the match.

England's second innings saw Dan Lawrence fall cheaply, but the overall day remained highly favorable for the hosts as Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope steadied the innings for a solid lead going into the next day.

(With inputs from agencies.)