India, Aug. 20 -- The cricket world witnessed something out of the ordinary on the opening day of the first Test between England and Pakistan at Headingley. After deciding to bowl first, the home team bowled the visitors out for a paltry 171 in their first innings with pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue taking a five-for each. This was not the first instance that two pacers combined and took equal wickets to dismantle a team.

What was first was that the ball was cut in half. Why? It's a tradition, particularly in Test cricket, when a bowler takes a five-for, they lead the team out of the field after bowling the opposition out, holding the ball high up and acknowledging the accolades from team-mates as well as the crowd. And they keep ...