It marked the first instance since 2006 of two England bowlers claiming five-wicket hauls in the same innings, with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue agreeing to split the match ball between them as a memento, according to the ICC website. England pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared an unusual piece of cricket memorabilia after taking five wickets apiece on the opening day of the Leeds Test against Pakistan, with the pair having the match ball cut cleanly in half so both could keep a piece.
He then trapped Pakistan captain Shan Masood leg-before for 5, leaving the visitors struggling at 6/2.
Robinson said he and Tongue decided to split the match ball as a memorable keepsake, noting that two bowlers taking five-wicket hauls in the same innings is rare and having half a ball each would make for a unique memento. He said it and I said, I think we should do that, it’d be quite cool. “We were walking off and I was like, to Tonguey, I think we should split it. It’s one of those things, you don’t have too many half-of-cricket-balls, so it would be something we never forget. It’s not very often two guys get five-for in the same innings, so a nice gesture and something to remember,” the ICC website quoted Robinson as saying. After England opted to bowl at Headingley, Robinson struck with the very first delivery, removing opener Azan Awais for a golden duck.
