Another record for Tendulkar, and no fifties

Was Sachin Tendulkar's 175 against Australia the highest score by a batsman in an unsuccessful chase? asked Manasvi from India
Yes, Sachin Tendulkar's 175 against Australia in Hyderabad last week was indeed the highest individual score ever made in an unsuccessful run-chase in a one-day international: the previous record was 149 not out, by Shivnarine Chanderpaul for West Indies against India in Nagpur in 2006-07. There have been only two higher scores in a losing cause in ODIs than Tendulkar's 175 - Charles Coventry's 194 not out for Zimbabwe against Bangladesh in Bulawayo earlier this year, and Matthew Hayden's unbeaten 181 for Australia v New Zealand in Hamilton in 2006-07.

What's the highest one-day international total that did not include an individual half-century? asked Bob Brabant from Cheshire
The highest is England's 285 in a losing cause against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in 2006, when the largest individual contribution was 45 from Andrew Strauss. That narrowly shaded the previous record, Pakistan's 281 for 9 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05, when the highest score was also 45, by Mohammad Yousuf (then known as Yousuf Youhana). In all there have been 15 totals of 250 and above that did not include an individual half-century in ODIs.

What are the best bowling figures in a Test innings by a legspinner, and by a slow left-armer? asked Darius George from Adelaide
The legspinner one is pretty well known: Anil Kumble took all 10 wickets in the innings for 74 runs for India against Pakistan in Delhi in 1998-99. Next comes Abdul Qadir, with 9 for 56 for Pakistan v England in Lahore in 1987-88. The best match figures by a legspinner are Narendra Hirwani's 16 for 136 on debut for India against West Indies in Madras, also in 1987-88. Turning (ouch) to slow left-armers, the best innings figures are 8 for 11, by England's Johnny Briggs against South Africa in Cape Town in 1888-89, while his 15 for 28 in that game remain the best match figures by a left-arm spinner. Three others - all Englishmen, Colin Blythe, Wilfred Rhodes and Hedley Verity - have taken 15 wickets in a Test.

Has there ever been 10 different catchers in a Test innings? If not, what's the record? asked Tim Bromwich from Hull
No, there has never yet been a Test innings in which 10 catches were taken by different people (although there have been several in which all 10 wickets fell to catches: click here for a list). The record for different catchers is nine, which has happened twice - by West Indies against England in Bridgetown in 1997-98 (all 10 fell to catches, but Brian Lara claimed two of them), and by New Zealand against West Indies, also in Bridgetown, in 2002. That time the 10th man was bowled by Daniel Vettori, who had earlier taken one of the catches.

Has anyone made a century in his first one-day international as captain? asked Dave Bourne from Stoke
Six people have done this now: easily the highest score involved is Glenn Turner's 171 not out for New Zealand against East Africa at Edgbaston in the first World Cup in 1975. The others to make a century in their first one-day international as captain are Richie Richardson (106 not out for West Indies against Pakistan in Sharjah in 1991-92), Sachin Tendulkar (110 for India v Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1996-97), Sanath Jayasuriya (102 for Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe in Colombo in 1997-98), Mike Hussey (109 not out for Australia v West Indies in Kuala Lumpur in 2006-07), and Gavin Hamilton (119 for Scotland v Canada in Aberdeen in 2009). Irving Romaine of Bermuda scored 106 in his first innings as captain, against Canada in Toronto in 2006 - but that was his second match: he hadn't batted in his first one in charge.

I spotted that Kamran Akmal was out to the very first ball of a Twenty20 international recently. Has anyone else suffered this fate yet? asked Qasim Sheikh from Lahore
It happened to Kamran Akmal in the Twenty20 international in Colombo three months ago - he was bowled by the first ball of the match, from Sri Lanka's Nuwan Kulasekara. The only other batsman so far to be dismissed by the first ball of a Twenty20 international is Ashif Mulla of Canada, who was bowled by the opening delivery from Zimbabwe's Elton Chigumbura in the tied match in King City near Toronto in October 2008.