Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared all 10 Pakistan wickets at Headingley before splitting the match ball to preserve a piece of their historic double five-wicket haul.
LEEDS: England fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue turned a dominant opening day against Pakistan at Headingley into a piece of Test cricket history, sharing all 10 wickets before dividing the match ball between them.
Robinson finished with 5-51 and Tongue claimed 5-46 as Pakistan were bowled out for 171 after England elected to field first. The remarkable performances marked only the 16th occasion in men’s Test cricket when two England bowlers have taken five wickets each in the same innings.
With both bowlers reaching the milestone, they faced an unusual dilemma over who would keep the traditional five-wicket-haul souvenir.
Robinson came up with a simple solution: split the ball in half.
“We were walking off, and I was like, to Tonguey, I think we should split it,” Robinson said.
Tongue agreed, and the Headingley groundstaff subsequently cut the match ball into two pieces so both bowlers could keep a portion of the memorable souvenir.
“It’s one of those things, you don’t have too many half-of-cricket-balls, so it would be something we never forget,” Robinson said.
Tongue also confirmed the unusual arrangement, telling BBC Test Match Special that Robinson had suggested splitting the ball after their joint achievement.
Robinson’s day was particularly significant. He took a wicket with the opening delivery of the Test, dismissing Pakistan’s Azan Awais, before removing four of Pakistan’s top five batters. Tongue then dismantled the lower order to complete England’s first 10-wicket innings haul shared between two bowlers since 2006.
The previous England pair to achieve the feat were Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar against Pakistan at Old Trafford.
Pakistan’s 171 gave England an early advantage, and the hosts ended the day on 112-2, leaving them only 59 runs behind.
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