LEEDS: England pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared all ten Pakistan wickets on the opening day of the Leeds Test. After their match-winning bowling show, both bowlers came up with a creative plan to avoid arguing over the match ball—they decided to slice the ball directly into two halves.
The team staff sent the cricket ball to the ground maintenance crew at Headingley, where it was cut right down the middle. As a result, both Robinson and Tongue walked away with a unique cricket souvenir to remember their joint success.
Robinson shared the funny story while speaking after the day’s play. He said, “As we were walking off, I told Tonguey we should cut the ball in half. It is not every day that two bowlers pick up five wickets each in the same innings, so having half a ball is a very cool and special memory for both of us.”
Tongue also gave credit to Robinson while talking on the radio. He said, “Robbo came up with the idea to split the ball. The groundstaff helped us do it. I have never seen anything like this before, and I will definitely display my half somewhere special.”
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Historic Day for England’s Bowling Attack
This became only the 16th instance in men’s Test cricket history where two English bowlers took five wickets each in the exact same innings. The last time England achieved this feat was 20 years ago in 2006, when Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar did it against Pakistan at Old Trafford.
Robinson gave England a dream start by striking on the very first ball of the match. He ripped through Pakistan’s top order by taking four of their top five batters. Later, Tongue wiped out the lower order and tail to wrap up Pakistan’s innings for just 171 runs. The dominant bowling display gave Joe Root a winning start to his new stint as England captain.
Robinson Dedicates Success to Newborn Daughter
Robinson returned to the Test side after missing two games against New Zealand. This performance was even more emotional for him, as his second daughter, Eva, was born just last week.
“My baby was born last Thursday at 2:00 AM, so I have been catching up on rest since arriving in Leeds,” Robinson said. “It was a wonderful week for my family. Leaving home right after the baby’s birth and bowling like this makes it feel even more special. Even though my family is at home, I was thinking about them the whole time.”
Focused on Fitness and Consistency
After picking up three wickets in his very first over at Lord’s earlier this summer, Robinson aims to stay in the England team on a regular basis. He was sidelined for the second Test due to a practice injury and was left out of the third Test.
Reflecting on his journey, Robinson stated, “It was tough missing out on those games due to a minor injury. However, that is part of professional sports. I used that time away to train hard, improve my fitness, and sharpen my skills.”
He added, “I have been working closely with the medical team over the past five to six weeks. Physically, I feel in top shape right now. The more red-ball matches I play, the better my rhythm becomes. Nobody wants to sit on the bench, and I want to stay fit and keep winning games for England.”
Source: Half Ball
