Tongue and Robinson split Headingley ball in half after twin five-wicket hauls

Tradition dictates that a bowler who takes a five-wicket haul in an innings keeps the ball as a memento. But at Headingley in the first Test against Pakistan, an unusual problem arose when both England seamers, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, took five wickets apiece in the same innings.

The pair found their own solution. "Robbo said we can split the ball in half," Tongue told Test Match Special. "The groundstaff have kindly done that. It's the first time I've seen that happen."

Robinson showed off his half of the ball to reporters, explaining the idea came to them as they walked off the field together, hand in hand, hatching the plan. He said such a rare keepsake would be something neither would forget.

The bowling performance helped Joe Root make a strong start to his second stint as England captain. Tongue finished with figures of 5-46 and Robinson 5-51 as Pakistan were bowled out for 171 after England won the toss. The hosts closed the day on 112-2.

Tongue and Robinson became the first pair of England bowlers to take five-wicket hauls in the same Test innings since Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar achieved the feat against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 2006. Team manager Wayne Bentley took the ball to the groundstaff, who had it split within minutes.

For Robinson, the milestone came just days after he and his wife, Mia, welcomed their first child together. Their daughter, Eva, was born in the early hours of the previous Thursday. Robinson, who also has a child from a previous relationship, said he had been thinking of his family throughout the day's play.

The five-wicket haul was the fifth of Robinson's Test career and continues his successful return to the England side following his recall at the start of the summer, when he played his first Test in more than two years against New Zealand at Lord's. The 32-year-old now has 88 Test wickets at an average of 21.25, the best average of any England seamer since 1914.