The series opener is Anderson’s 188th and final Test for England with management wanting to focus on constructing a side able to regain The Ashes in Australia in the winter of 2025-26 – which, on this early evidence, Atkinson could form a key part of.
The notoriously shy Anderson, 41, was given a tremendous reception from the Lord’s crowd ahead of play on Wednesday, at the venue where he took a five-wicket haul on debut versus Zimbabwe in 2003.
However, he was outshone by Surrey seamer Atkinson (7-45) as the new boy became the eighth England bowler to bag seven wickets on Test debut and the second this year after spinner Tom Hartley achieved the feat against India in Hyderabad in January.
England closed on 189-3 to lead by 68 with Ollie Pope (57) and Zak Crawley (76) sharing a busy second-wicket stand of 94, one that was briefly paused by bad light in the final session before the evening ended in the glorious sunshine that is also forecast for day two.
Earlier, Atkinson struck with his second ball as West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite (6) chopped on, while he claimed three wickets in four balls in the 35th over, including Jason Holder for a golden duck, amid the tourists losing four wickets for no runs from 88-3.
