Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue found a novel way of celebrating the twin five-wicket hauls that decimated Pakistan at Headingley – taking half a match ball home each.
As they left the field shoulder to shoulder to the acclaim of the Leeds locals after Pakistan were dismissed for 171, they hatched a plan to share the leather sphere as a memento.
Producing his half from his pocket at the post-match press conference, Robinson revealed: ‘We were walking off and Tonguey said it. I told him it would actually be quite cool.’
Within five minutes of being back in the home dressing room, England team manager Wayne Bentley was dispatched to ask groundsman Richie Robinson to saw it in two.
‘You don’t have too many half cricket balls, so it will be something we never forget. It’s not too often that two guys get a five-for in the same innings. It’s a nice gesture.’
Josh Tongue (5-46) and Ollie Robinson (5-51) share the plaudits as they leave the field
… and Robinson late holds up his half of the sawn-off ball, with Tongue keeping the other!
It has been quite a week for Robinson, who welcomed daughter Eva to the world last Thursday and then marked his return to England colours at his former Yorkshire headquarters by taking a wicket with the first ball of the match.
Robinson, 32, marked his return from a two-year international exile with five first-innings wickets and the man-of-the-match award against New Zealand at Lord’s in June, but then missed the following two Tests due to injury at The Oval and on selection grounds at Trent Bridge.
But his fifth five-wicket bag in 22 appearances has England in control on Joe Root’s return to the Test captaincy.
England resume on day two with Root unbeaten on 37 in a score of 112 for two.
