Which team has recorded both the highest and lowest totals in the IPL?

Is it right that Royal Challengers Bangalore have recorded both the highest and lowest totals in the IPL? asked Milind Joshi from India
That is true: Royal Challengers Bangalore amassed 263 for 5 from their 20 overs against Pune Warriors in Bengaluru in 2013 - that was the match in which Chris Gayle thrashed an unbeaten 175 - the highest individual score in the IPL (or indeed any senior T20 match).

RCB are also second on the highest totals list, as they made 248 for 3 against Gujarat Lions in 2016, also at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chennai Super Kings come next, with 246 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals in Chennai in 2010.

At the other end of the spectrum, RCB have also recorded the lowest IPL total - they were shot out for 49, in just 9.4 overs, by Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata in 2017. After Virat Kohli was out first ball, no one made it to double figures in the chase for a modest 132.

What's the overall average score for all Tests? And what's the average by batting position? asked Dan Murphy from Hong Kong
Statsguru tells me that, in all, there have been 2,196,706 runs (excluding extras) scored in the 2351 Test matches played to date, at an overall batting average of 30.26. If you consider only completed and declared innings, that average rises a little to 31.20, which suggests an average team total of 312 for a completed innings.

As for individual positions, No. 1 averages 36.91 and No. 2 is 34.75 (the combined average for openers is 35.83, which is probably more reliable as we don't always know who faced the first ball). No. 4 leads the way with an overall average of 40.89, just ahead of No. 3's 39.84. After that it's as you might expect, with the law of diminishing returns kicking in: No. 5 averages 38.13, then come Nos. 6 (32.52), 7 (27.67), 8 (21.35), 9 (15.66), 10 (11.53) and 11 (8.56).

What's the record for the most caught-and-bowled dismissals in a single international innings? asked Jamie Robertson from England
The Test record is four men out caught and bowled in the same innings, which has happened three times. England had four at Lord's in 1890, inflicted by four different bowlers, but after that it didn't occur again for nearly 100 years, until 1985-86, when four New Zealanders gave return catches in Sydney, all to the Australian spinners. It happened again in Wellington in 2015-16, this time to Australia against New Zealand, but they did score 562 in that innings, with Adam Voges making 239.

There's also been one case of four caught-and-bowleds in a one-day international innings: by Australia against England in Adelaide in 1994-95. Shane Warne took two of them, as did Brendon Julian. There have been nine further cases of three c&bs.

Six players have been dismissed in the 290s in Tests. Is it true that none of them ever made a triple-century? asked Richard Webb from South Africa
You're right that six men have been out in the 290s in Tests, as this list shows (it also includes Don Bradman's unbeaten 299, against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32, when the last man was run out). Five of the batsmen concerned - Martin Crowe, Alastair Cook, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Viv Richards and Ross Taylor - never did reach 300 (although I suppose there's still time for Taylor). But one name on the list sticks out: before his 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009-10, the attacking Indian opener Virender Sehwag had hit not one but two triple-centuries - 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2007-08, and 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2003-04. Sehwag and Bradman are the only batsmen to reach 290 three times in Tests.

In a recent women's T20 match between Costa Rica and Mexico, there were 114 extras - surely a record? asked Peter Finch from Spain
That huge tally was indeed a record for a women's T20I - and, despite both sides being very inexperienced, this counts as official following the ICC's decision last year to accord full international status to all T20 matches between member teams. The match you're talking about, in Mexico City, was actually the first part of a double - almost half the total of 390 runs.

In that first match, Mexico ran up 164 for 8, greatly helped by 67 extras (32 from no-balls and 35 from wides). Costa Rica's modest 64 in reply included 47 extras, and a highest score off the bat of 5. In the second game, Costa Rica were bowled out for 80, including 56 extras (45 wides; again no batsman made double figures), and Mexico replied with 82 for none (21 extras) to win by ten wickets.

The record for what you might call the established nations is 35 extras, in the matches between Ireland and Pakistan in Potchefstroom in 2010, and India and England in Guwahati in March 2019.