Gus Atkinson has impressed everyone in his debut test match for England against West Indies at Lords. The Surrey pacer registered an amazing record to his name in the maiden test match of his career. He has the third-best match-haul of 12 wickets for 106 runs which is trailing behind the likes of Bob Massie who took 16 and Fred Martin who took 12/102 during their respective debuts.
Atkinson picked 7 wickets in his first innings giving out 45 runs in 12 overs on Day 1 to bundle out West Indies for 121. The 26-year-old speedster was impressive from the very first day. Creating a history at the iconic Lord’s Stadium. This will surely be one of the finest memories of his cricketing career. He became the ninth English pacer to pick a fifer on Test debut at the Home of Cricket.
On one end this was his debut and on the other, his teammate James Anderson was playing his final Test match of his career. This marked the new era of England’s bowling in the longest format of the game. With a seven-wicket in the first innings and five in the second Atkinson showed the world, his abilities to bowl in the red-ball format for the Three Lions.
Gus Atkinson will become England’s No.1 bowler
The pacer will look to fill in the big shoes of Jimmy Anderson in the upcoming days for the team. The 41-year-old had a stellar career for 21 years. He is the only pacer to pick 704 wickets in the longest format of the game. The third-highest wicket-taker overall in Test match cricket after Muthiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne.
The legacy he leaves behind will be difficult to match in the upcoming years. But Atkinson will try and fill in the big shoes that the veteran pacer has left behind for the upcoming stars in international cricket. He will look to work better on his bowling skills and polish them in the upcoming years.
He will want to be the No.1 bowler for the side in the longest format of the game. Despite being different from Anderson’s bowling ability. Atkinson with deceptive pace was the reason behind his successful international debut.
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