Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue split match ball in half

England pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue found a unique way to share the match ball after both claimed five-wicket hauls on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley.

The pair took all 10 Pakistan wickets between them, with Tongue returning figures of 5-46 and Robinson finishing with 5-51 as Pakistan were bowled out for 171 after England elected to bowl first.

Traditionally, a bowler keeps the match ball after completing a five-wicket haul. With two England bowlers achieving the feat in the same innings, however, Robinson and Tongue decided to divide the prized piece of memorabilia.

The ball was sent to the Headingley groundstaff, who split it in two halves so both pacers could take a piece home.

“We were walking off, and I was like, to Tonguey, I think we should split it,” Robinson said.

“He said it, and I said, I think we should do that, it’d be quite cool. It’s one of those things, you don’t have too many half-of-cricket-balls, so it would be something we never forget.”

Tongue also revealed that Robinson came up with the idea after the two bowlers completed their five-wicket hauls.

“Robbo said we can split the ball in half. The groundstaff have kindly done that. It’s the first time I’ve seen that happen. I’m sure I’ll be putting that up somewhere,” Tongue said on BBC Test Match Special.

The achievement marked only the 16th occasion in men’s Tests that two England bowlers have taken five wickets each in the same innings.

The previous instance came in 2006, when Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar achieved the feat against Pakistan at Old Trafford.

Robinson made an immediate impact by dismissing Pakistan’s Azan Awais with the very first delivery of the Test, becoming the first England bowler to achieve the feat at home in almost two decades.

The seamer went on to claim four of Pakistan’s top five wickets before Tongue completed the demolition job by running through the lower order.

Pakistan were eventually dismissed for 171, giving England’s new captain Joe Root an ideal start to his second stint as Test skipper.

England ended the opening day on 112-2, trailing Pakistan’s first-innings total by just 59 runs and putting themselves in a strong position in the series opener.