We've all been in that situation before.

You bowl a perfect ball and watch it storm down the lane, straight down the centre and on course for a strike.

Then the unthinkable happens. The ball clatters into the pins, knocking them over - but leaving two remaining standing, on opposite sides to each other!

Getting a split can be one of the most infuriating occurrences in bowling, as it may seem like there's no hope of salvaging even a spare.

It is indeed a tricky manoeuvre to pull off, but not an impossible one, as pro bowlers such as Mark Roth have demonstrated over the years.

The 7-10 split

While there are many types of split of varying degrees of difficulty, the one that most people will be familiar with is the 7-10 split.

This is when the two pins on either end of the back row are left standing after your first throw, and gets its name from the numbers allocated to those two pins.

You might feel resigned to simply aim for one of those pins and hope you score at least a nine - but is there a way around this?

Experts reckon that it can be done, and all you need is a strong shot, good positioning - and plenty of luck.

The trick is to throw the ball as hard as you can (while still maintaining accuracy) at one of the pins, putting a bit of hook on the ball.

If you hit it right, there is a good chance the pin will bounce from the power and spin of your ball, ricocheting across the pin bay and knocking the other pin over.

So next time you're at a bowling work party, why not try your hand at converting that infamous 7-10 split!