England Takes Control at Lord’s with Gus Atkinson’s Stellar Century

Sri Lanka faltered to 196 all out on day two of the second test against England. Gus Atkinson's maiden century solidified England's dominance, ending their innings at 427. Kamindu Mendis was the standout performer for Sri Lanka. England opted not to enforce the follow-on, ending the day at 25-1.

On Friday, Sri Lanka collapsed to 196 all out on day two of the second test at Lord's. Gus Atkinson's impressive maiden century handed the advantage to England, who completed their innings at 427. Kamindu Mendis was the sole Sri Lankan batsman to put up a significant resistance with a score of 74 before being dismissed by Atkinson.

Opting against enforcing the follow-on, England concluded the day at 25-1, with Dan Lawrence being the lone wicket to fall. 'We're well ahead of the game after day two with loads of time left,' Atkinson commented. 'Hopefully, we can push on to a big lead tomorrow and then bowl them out again.'

Sri Lanka's lower order quickly crumbled after tea, with significant dismissals including Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara. The significant turning point came during the afternoon session when Sri Lanka lost five crucial wickets, including veteran players Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession.

(With inputs from agencies.)