England's Debutants Shine in Dominant Victory Over West Indies at Lord's

Former England cricketer Mark Butcher lauded debutants Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith for stellar performances in the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's. England triumphed by an innings and 114 runs, with Atkinson claiming 12 wickets for 106 runs and Smith scoring a valuable 70 runs while securing four dismissals.

On the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, Butcher compared Atkinson's debut to that of James Anderson 21 years ago. He praised the conditions and said, "It was a dream debut for Gus, obviously, a little bit like Anderson 21 years ago. His performance was stellar."

Butcher also commended Smith's adaptability, stating, "Jamie did exactly what they wanted from someone in his position—batting well with the tail and keeping tidily with no byes." He added that both players will face greater challenges ahead, but their confidence remains high. The second Test begins Thursday at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

(With inputs from agencies.)