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What's the highest unbroken partnership in a Test? And what's the highest one to be broken by a run-out? asked Andrew Hancock from London
The highest unbroken partnership in a Test was one of 429 between Jacques Rudolph - who scored 222 not out on his Test debut - and Boeta Dippenaar (177 not out) for South Africa's third wicket against Bangladesh in Chittagong in April 2003. That was the ninth-highest Test partnership of all. Sixth on that list is a second-wicket stand of 446 between Garry Sobers and Conrad Hunte for West Indies against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58, which ended when Hunte was run out. The Pakistan fielders were looking a bit lethargic after such a long stand, and Hunte thought there was an easy single when he pushed a ball to mid-on - but the fielder there was Ijaz Butt (later a controversial Pakistan board chairman), who had not long before come on as a substitute and was relatively fresh.
The highest unbroken partnership in a Test was one of 429 between Jacques Rudolph - who scored 222 not out on his Test debut - and Boeta Dippenaar (177 not out) for South Africa's third wicket against Bangladesh in Chittagong in April 2003. That was the ninth-highest Test partnership of all. Sixth on that list is a second-wicket stand of 446 between Garry Sobers and Conrad Hunte for West Indies against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58, which ended when Hunte was run out. The Pakistan fielders were looking a bit lethargic after such a long stand, and Hunte thought there was an easy single when he pushed a ball to mid-on - but the fielder there was Ijaz Butt (later a controversial Pakistan board chairman), who had not long before come on as a substitute and was relatively fresh.
Was India's total at Jaipur the highest in an ODI innings for the loss of only one wicket? asked Amit Pandey from Delhi
The short answer is yes it was: India's 362 for 1 last week, as they chased down Australia's big total with astonishing ease in Jaipur, broke a one-day international record which was only set a few months ago, in July, when Sri Lanka made 348 for 1 batting first against India in Kingston. That remains the highest score made by any side using their full allocation of overs in an ODI and losing just one wicket.
The short answer is yes it was: India's 362 for 1 last week, as they chased down Australia's big total with astonishing ease in Jaipur, broke a one-day international record which was only set a few months ago, in July, when Sri Lanka made 348 for 1 batting first against India in Kingston. That remains the highest score made by any side using their full allocation of overs in an ODI and losing just one wicket.
There were eight scores of 50 or more at Jaipur. Is that a record? asked Mahesh Bhasin from Mumbai
The match at Jaipur last week was only the second one-day international to feature eight scores of more than 50. It also happened in Karachi in 2007-08, when Pakistan's 347 for 5 contained five individual half-centuries (the only other instance of this), and Zimbabwe's 243 for 7 included three. The highest individual score in that match, though, was Younis Khan's 79. Australia's first innings in Jaipur was, incidentally, the first occasion that the top five in the batting order had all reached 50 in the same ODI.
The match at Jaipur last week was only the second one-day international to feature eight scores of more than 50. It also happened in Karachi in 2007-08, when Pakistan's 347 for 5 contained five individual half-centuries (the only other instance of this), and Zimbabwe's 243 for 7 included three. The highest individual score in that match, though, was Younis Khan's 79. Australia's first innings in Jaipur was, incidentally, the first occasion that the top five in the batting order had all reached 50 in the same ODI.
What is the record number of players to appear in a Test series? asked Martin Howard from England
The specialists in this area are England, when up against it in Ashes series at home: they used a record 30 players in the five-match series against Australia in England in 1921, and 29 in six games in 1989. Australia employed 27 players in their home series against England in 1884-85, helped (or more likely not helped) by having to change the entire XI for the second Test after a dispute about payments. West Indies used 27 players in the four Tests of their first home series, against England in 1929-30, including a different captain for each match. Australia used 13 players in 1921, giving the overall record for both sides of 43 men participating in one Test series.
The specialists in this area are England, when up against it in Ashes series at home: they used a record 30 players in the five-match series against Australia in England in 1921, and 29 in six games in 1989. Australia employed 27 players in their home series against England in 1884-85, helped (or more likely not helped) by having to change the entire XI for the second Test after a dispute about payments. West Indies used 27 players in the four Tests of their first home series, against England in 1929-30, including a different captain for each match. Australia used 13 players in 1921, giving the overall record for both sides of 43 men participating in one Test series.
Who has hit the most runs in boundaries in a Test innings? asked Terry McIver from Scotland
The answer here is John Edrich, which might strike some as a bit of a surprise if they remember Edrich as a rather dour defender in the later part of his career. But in his early days he was a hard-hitting and uncompromising striker of the ball, and for England against New Zealand at Headingley in 1965 no fewer than 238 of Edrich's eventual 310 not out - 52 fours and five sixes - came in boundaries. Matthew Hayden ran him close with 218 in boundaries - 38 fours and 11 sixes - in his 380 for Australia v Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04. The only others to have scored more than 200 in boundaries in a Test innings are Inzamam-ul-Haq, with 206 (38 fours and nine sixes) for Pakistan against New Zealand in Lahore in 2001-02, and Virender Sehwag, with 202 (40 fours, seven sixes) for India v Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009-10. The record for one-day internationals is 150 in boundaries, by Shane Watson in his 185 not out for Australia against Bangladesh in Mirpur in April 2011, which contained 15 fours - and a record 15 sixes too.
The answer here is John Edrich, which might strike some as a bit of a surprise if they remember Edrich as a rather dour defender in the later part of his career. But in his early days he was a hard-hitting and uncompromising striker of the ball, and for England against New Zealand at Headingley in 1965 no fewer than 238 of Edrich's eventual 310 not out - 52 fours and five sixes - came in boundaries. Matthew Hayden ran him close with 218 in boundaries - 38 fours and 11 sixes - in his 380 for Australia v Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04. The only others to have scored more than 200 in boundaries in a Test innings are Inzamam-ul-Haq, with 206 (38 fours and nine sixes) for Pakistan against New Zealand in Lahore in 2001-02, and Virender Sehwag, with 202 (40 fours, seven sixes) for India v Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009-10. The record for one-day internationals is 150 in boundaries, by Shane Watson in his 185 not out for Australia against Bangladesh in Mirpur in April 2011, which contained 15 fours - and a record 15 sixes too.
Which batsmen have been dismissed in the nineties most often in Tests and ODIs? asked Rana Tahir via Facebook
Sachin Tendulkar leads the way on both these lists. In Tests he has been dismissed in the nineties ten times, one more than Rahul Dravid and Michael Slater. Dravid had one further not-out innings in the nineties, so shares the overall record of ten with Tendulkar and Steve Waugh (eight dismissals and two not-outs in the nineties). In one-day internationals Tendulkar was out in the nineties on no fewer than 17 occasions, and also made 96 not out against Sri Lanka in Cuttack in December 2009. A long way behind come the New Zealander Nathan Astle, Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka, and Grant Flower of Zimbabwe, who all had nine innings in the nineties - seven dismissals and two not-outs apiece.
Sachin Tendulkar leads the way on both these lists. In Tests he has been dismissed in the nineties ten times, one more than Rahul Dravid and Michael Slater. Dravid had one further not-out innings in the nineties, so shares the overall record of ten with Tendulkar and Steve Waugh (eight dismissals and two not-outs in the nineties). In one-day internationals Tendulkar was out in the nineties on no fewer than 17 occasions, and also made 96 not out against Sri Lanka in Cuttack in December 2009. A long way behind come the New Zealander Nathan Astle, Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka, and Grant Flower of Zimbabwe, who all had nine innings in the nineties - seven dismissals and two not-outs apiece.
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