Overall Test average, and more mosts without

The regular Tuesday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket:

What is the Test batting average? I mean runs scored by batsmen in Test cricket divided by total dismissals. I'm guessing it's around 30, but the idea has been pinging around in my head for a while and it needs to get out! And while you're at it, what's the overall bowling average? asked Kieran O'Leary from Australia

Your guess was remarkably close: the overall Test batting average (runs scored divided by completed innings) is 29.84 since the first Test in 1876-77. The overall bowling average is slightly higher - 31.43 - because of run-outs and the recent counting of wides and no-balls against the bowler.

Who has scored the most runs and taken the most wickets without ever appearing in a World Cup? My guess for the batsman is VVS Laxman - am I right? asked Satyakant from India

There's some fine guessing going on this week, because the batsman with the most ODI runs who has never appeared in a World Cup is indeed VVS Laxman, who has made 2338. The leading wicket-taker is another Indian, Irfan Pathan, who has so far taken 122 one-day wickets. He's just ahead of Sri Lanka's Nuwan Zoysa, who has taken 108 wickets in 95 matches, and holds the record for the most ODIs played without appearing in the World Cup.

Was the Test between India and New Zealand at Hamilton in 2002-03 the only one in which part of all four innings took place on the same day? asked Ashwin Sundar from India

The match you're talking about is this one. India started the third day (the first was washed out) at 92 for 8 in their first innings, and were soon all out for 99; New Zealand were bowled out for 94; India went in and out again for 154; and by the end of the day New Zealand, chasing 160 to win, were 24 without loss (they completed a four-wicket victory next morning). This was the second occasion that part of all four innings had taken place on the same day of a Test: it also happened on the second day of the 2000 Lord's Test between England and West Indies (one ball of West Indies' first innings, whole innings by England and West Indies, then seven balls of England's second).

What is the highest number of ducks in an ODI? I only ask because there were seven in one of the India-Australia matches ... asked Ed Dixon from England

The match you're talking about was the seventh one of the recent series between India and Australia, at Mumbai last week, and there were indeed seven ducks (three golden ones), four by Australia and three by India. That was the sixth instance of seven dismissals for 0 in the same ODI - but the record is eight, shared by England (5) and West Indies (3) in the 1979 World Cup final at Lord's. For a list of the other sevens, click here.

Who has taken the most wickets against England in Tests and ODIs? asked James Hamilton from Dundee

In Tests it's a familiar name leading the way: Shane Warne took 195 England wickets in 36 Tests. Another Australian, Dennis Lillee, lies second with 167, just ahead of Curtly Ambrose of West Indies (164). Overall 17 bowlers have taken 100 or more wickets against England in Tests. In ODIs the leader is another familiar Aussie - Glenn McGrath, with 53 wickets. Next come Malcolm Marshall (41) and Shaun Pollock (40).

Which cricketer called his autobiography Retired Hurt? asked Max Hayes from Brisbane
This was Roshan Mahanama, the Sri Lankan batsman who played 52 Tests between 1985-86 and 1997-98 scoring 2576 runs including 225 in the Test-record total of 952 for 6 against India in Colombo in 1997. Mahanama's book was privately published in Australia in 2001, and he called it that because he was upset at his treatment by the selectors, especially towards the end of his career.

And there's an update on the recent question about the highest score in the last ten overs of an ODI, from Sreeram in India

"I believe that the most runs scored in the final ten overs of an ODI innings is actually 146, by South Africa against Pakistan at Centurion earlier this year. They were 246 for 4 after 40 overs, but finished up with 392 for 6 - Mark Boucher made 78 in 38 balls." That just beats a match several other people notified us about, Pakistan against Zimbabwe at Multan in 2004-05 - in that match Pakistan were 147 for 6 at the end of the 40th over but, with Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi going ballistic, they finished up with 292 for 7.