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England player ratings: Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith shine on debut in first Test against the West Indies

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England player ratings: Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith shine on debut in first Test against the West Indies

Debutants Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith were among the players to star as England secured a comfortable first Test win over the West Indies at Lord’s; watch the second Test between England and the West Indies live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday, July 18


Take a look at how we rated England’s players out of 10 following the innings and 114-run victory over the West Indies at Lord’s in the first Test of the summer…

Zak Crawley – 8 (out of 10)

The right-hander has more than repaid the faith shown in him by head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, and produced another assured showing in England’s innings.

Crawley led the way for the hosts at Lord’s with 76 as they were eventually all out for 371 and it took a brilliant yorker from Jayden Seales to dislodge him when he had looked well set to press on for a century.

Highlights from day three of the first Test between England and West Indies

Ben Duckett – 6

An inauspicious showing with the bat from Duckett as the left-hander only managed three before edging Seales through to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for the first wicket of England’s reply.

He did, however, make a couple of important catches in the deep during the West Indies’ second innings, being in place to help dismiss Alzarri Joseph and Seales to wrap up the win.

Ollie Pope – 7

England’s vice-captain came into this Test having struggled for runs in the eight innings which came on the back of his stunning 196 in the first Test of their tour of India in February and March.

He responded with a fine half-century following the early dismissal of Duckett but will have been disappointed he could not add to his 57 after being trapped lbw by Jason Holder, which was part of a stand of 94 with Crawley.

Michael Atherton looked back at James Anderson’s incredible career and paid tribute to England’s greatest ever bowler following his retirement from Test cricket

Joe Root – 8

The former captain continues to be a key component of England’s middle order and showcased just why before falling to an absolute pearler from spinner Gudakesh Motie for 68.

He put on a valuable 91 partnership for the fourth wicket with fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook and helped guide debutant Jamie Smith through the early part of his innings.

Harry Brook – 7

It was not quite the explosive innings which Brook has become noted for in the early stages of his Test career, but he still managed five fours and a six.

The right-hander could not add to his total after reaching the half-century mark though, being caught by Da Silva off Joseph.

Ben Stokes – 7

Ben Stokes took his 200th Test wicket when he pinned West Indies batter Kyle McKenzie lbw at Lord’s

The England captain only managed four with the bat before being undone by Motie, but it was a welcome sight to see him bowling at full fitness again after his knee problems.

A tidy eight-over spell in the West Indies’ first innings returned 1-14, seeing him join Sir Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis as the only players to take 200 wickets and score 6,000 runs in Test cricket, and followed that up with 2-25 in their second innings.

Jamie Smith – 8

Brought in to provide a boost to the lower middle-order with the bat along with an assured presence behind the stumps, the 24-year-old looked immediately at home in the Test arena.

Smith joined an exclusive club of players to have made a half-century on debt at Lord’s with 70 and did a tidy job behind the stumps, taking four catches in the match.

Jamie Smith brings up his maiden Test half-century on debut during the second day of the Test between England and West Indies at Lord’s

Chris Woakes – 7

The seamer’s return to the Test side saw him opening the bowling along with James Anderson and he finished with a tidy 1-29 from his 11-over spell in the West Indies’ first innings.

He made a valuable contribution with the bat too, being part of a seventh-wicket partnership of 52 with Smith as he made 23.

Gus Atkinson – 9

The Surrey seamer made an immediate impact at Lord’s, becoming the first England player since Alec Bedser in 1946 to take 10 wickets on his home Test debut.

His 7-45 in the first innings was followed up by 5-61 in the second to wrap up a comfortable victory for the home side, earning him player of the match honours.

Watch all 12 wickets taken by debutant Gus Atkinson in the first Test against West Indies

Shoaib Bashir – 5

Poor old Shoaib Bashir, it’s really not his fault he gets such a middling score for this Test match.

The dominance of England’s seamers meant he did not get to bowl in either of the West Indies’ innings, and the spinner’s sole time out in the middle with the bat saw him scratch around for a 17-ball duck before being run out.

Hopefully the remaining two matches of the series will allow him to show his undoubted skills with the ball.

James Anderson – 8

The curtain came down on the 41-year-old’s international career in the perfect manner and he showed himself still capable of competing at the top level in the process.

Anderson took one wicket in the first innings and then 3-32 in the second to finish on 704 wickets at Test level – third on the all-time Test list – helping him sign off with one final win in an England shirt.

Watch day one of the second Test between England and West Indies, from Trent Bridge in Nottingham, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday (first ball to be bowled at 11am).

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