England’s Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue delivered superb bowling performances on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley, each claiming five wickets as the visitors were bowled out for just 171. The impressive display marked a strong beginning to England’s new era under full-time captain Joe Root following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket. England responded confidently with the bat and reached 112/2 at stumps, with Root unbeaten on 37. The hosts trailed by only 59 runs after an eventful opening day in Leeds.

Robinson and Tongue created a unique moment after both finished with five-wicket hauls. Instead of keeping the match ball individually, the England pacers decided to have it cut in half so they could each take home a piece of the memorable occasion.

Robinson revealed that the idea came from Tongue as the pair walked off the field. “Tonguey said, ‘I think we should split it’. I was like, ‘yeah, we should actually do that, I think it’d be quite cool, ’ Robinson explained after play.

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The 32-year-old added that the ground staff quickly helped them turn the idea into reality. Robinson said having half a cricket ball each would serve as a special reminder of a rare occasion when two bowlers claimed five wickets in the same Test innings.

For Robinson, the performance was another significant step in his international comeback. The seamer returned to England duty earlier this summer after an absence of more than two years and claimed a career-best seven wickets against New Zealand in the first Test. However, his comeback was interrupted by a knee injury that ruled him out of the second Test. Although Robinson recovered in time for the series finale at Trent Bridge, he was not selected.

This is pretty cool!

After Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue both took five-wicket hauls against Pakistan, Robinson came up with the idea to split the ball in half.

“We were walking off and I was like, to Tonguey, I think we should split it,” Robinson said in his post-play press… pic.twitter.com/WM1w0yRfWd

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) August 20, 2026

Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson have had the ball split in half so they can both have a momento from their five-wicket hauls 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏

Brilliant picture by @dudleyplatypus 📸#ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/a5yUZIvuMx

— England’s Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 19, 2026

Reflecting on that difficult period, Robinson admitted it was frustrating but said he had worked hard on improving both his fitness and bowling skills. His five-wicket haul against Pakistan showed the benefits of that effort.

The occasion was made even more special by Robinson’s life away from cricket. The England pacer recently became a father for the second time, with his newborn arriving just days before the Headingley Test. Robinson revealed that his second child was born at 2am the previous Thursday and joked that he had been trying to catch up on sleep since arriving at the Leeds team hotel.

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With England beginning a new chapter under Root, Robinson’s five-wicket haul and Tongue’s equally impressive contribution provided an ideal start. For the veteran seamer, the performance was not only a statement on the field but also a memorable moment after a challenging period of injuries and personal commitments.