Tongue & Robinson cut Headingley ball in half

England seamers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each recorded five-wicket hauls on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley, after which they arranged for the match ball to be cut in half as a keepsake. Tongue told Test Match Special, “Robbo said we tin divided the shot successful half,” Tongue told Test Match Special. “The groundstaff person kindly done that.” He added, “It's the archetypal clip I've seen that happen. I'm definite I'll beryllium putting that up somewhere.” Robinson recalled the moment, saying, “We were walking disconnected the field.” He continued, “Josh said it and I said: 'We really should bash that, it would beryllium rather cool.'” He noted, “You don't truly person excessively galore halves of a cricket ball, truthful it would beryllium thing that we ne'er forget.” The bowling figures saw Tongue finish with 5‑46 and Robinson with 5‑51, bundling Pakistan out for 171 after England won the toss. The home side reached 112‑2 by the next session in Leeds. Robinson and Tongue became the first England pair to claim five‑wicket hauls in the same Test innings since Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar achieved the feat versus Pakistan at Old Trafford in 2006. They led England off the field at Headingley, hatching a plan to turn one ball into two halves. Robinson explained, “Wayne Bentley, the squad manager, took it down to the groundstaff,” said Robinson. “I said: 'Do you reckon they volition be capable to bash it?' Within 5 minutes helium brought it back up and it was done. It's truly nice.”