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Five-fors at Headingley
Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue took five wickets apiece as England dominated the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley, bowling Pakistan out for 171.
“Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue took five wickets apiece as England dominated the opening day”
Robinson finished with 5-51 after removing four of Pakistan's top five batters, while Tongue shot out the tail to finish with 5-46 as the tourists collapsed after being inserted.
England reached 112-2 at the close, with Joe Root unbeaten on 37 and Jordan Cox at the crease as play ended on day one.
Robinson made an instant impact after England won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat, trapping Azan Awais lbw with the opening delivery of the innings.
Pakistan’s brief resistance included a 91-run partnership between Imam-ul-Haq (42) and Abdullah Shafique (61) before Tongue removed Imam and Robinson dismissed Shafique to put England back on top.
Split match ball
After Pakistan were bowled out for 171, Robinson and Tongue asked the Headingley ground staff to cut the match ball in half, turning a rare double five-wicket day into a shared souvenir.
Robinson said, "We were walking off and I was like, to Tonguey, I think we should split it," describing how the idea became reality.
Tongue told Test Match Special, "Robbo said we can split the ball in half. The groundstaff have kindly done that," as he credited the plan to his senior bowling partner.
The BBC framed the moment as a solution to the dilemma of two five-wicket hauls in the same innings, noting that the pair led England off the field hand in hand.
With England closing on 112-2, the pace duo’s work also set up Joe Root’s second stint as full-time England Test captain, with Root reaching 37 not out at stumps.
Root, rain, and what’s next
Pakistan’s innings ended with England’s bowlers taking the last wickets quickly, including Tongue dismissing Ali Usman for 0 and later bowling Mohammad Abbas for his fifth wicket.
“"They (England) played some good cricket today but we will try to take early wickets tomorrow"”
On day one, a rain delay interrupted play after Pakistan were 117-3, and the partnership between Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique had steadied the tourists either side of that stoppage.
Shafique said, "They played some good cricket today but we will try to bounce back tomorrow," while also pointing to tricky conditions in the morning and the importance of Joe Root’s wicket and Harry Brook’s.
For England, the close left them in a commanding position as they were 112-2 at stumps, trailing by just 59 runs, with Root and Cox set to return in the morning.
Robinson’s return to Test cricket also carried personal context, with the BBC reporting that baby Eva was born in the early hours of last Thursday and that he was thinking of his family "the whole time" while bowling.
