England seamers Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson devised a unique solution to a shared success: they split the match ball in half after both achieved five-wicket hauls on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley.
Tongue claimed 5-46 and Robinson took 5-51, skittling Pakistan for 171 after England won the toss. The bowlers celebrated their achievement by having the ball cut in two, a gesture to commemorate their rare accomplishment.
"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 explained the origin of the idea as they walked off the field. "Josh said and I said: 'We actually should do that, it would be quite cool.' You don't really have too many halves of a cricket ball, so it would be something that we never forget."
Tongue and Robinson are the first pair of England bowlers to register five-wicket hauls in the same Test innings since Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar achieved the feat against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 2006. The duo led England off the field hand in hand before hatching their plan for the memento.
"Wayne Bentley, the team manager, took it down to the groundstaff," Robinson said. "I said: 'Do you reckon they will be able to do it?' Within five minutes he brought it back up and it was done. It's really nice."
Following the bowlers' efforts, England reached 112-2 by the close of play on the first day, giving Joe Root an encouraging start in his second stint as England Test captain.