Australia in trouble, and 99 not outs

When was the last time Australia lost in the finals of their own one-day competition? asked several relieved England supporters

The last time Australia reached the finals of their annual triangular series but didn't win it was as long ago as 1992-93, when West Indies won both of the finals matches played, at Sydney and Melbourne. In 2001-02, Australia didn't even reach the finals, in which South Africa beat New Zealand 2-0. (They also didn't reach the finals in 1996-97, when Pakistan beat West Indies 2-0.)

I saw Brad Hodge finish on 99 not out when Australia beat New Zealand last week. Has anyone else been stuck on 99 like that? asked Brent Nash from St Kilda, Melbourne

Brad Hodge was the 24th person to make a score of 99 in a one-day international (Sanath Jayasuriya has made two), but only the seventh one to finish with 99 not out. The first to do this was New Zealand's Bruce Edgar, against India at Auckland in 1980-81: he had reached 99 when his side's overs ran out. The others to make 99 not out are: Dean Jones, for Australia v Sri Lanka at Adelaide in 1984-85; Richie Richardson, for West Indies v Pakistan at Sharjah in 1985-86; Andy Flower, for Zimbabwe v Australia at Harare in 1999-2000; Alistair Campbell, for Zimbabwe v New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2000-01; and Ramnaresh Sarwan, for West Indies v India at Ahmedabad in 2002-03. Both Richardson and Campbell had reached 99 when their sides won. For a full list of batsmen who have made 99 - out or not out - in ODIs, click here.

What is the best bowling by someone in their country's inaugural Test? asked Jamil from Bangladesh

The best innings and match figures came from the very first Test of all, at Melbourne in 1876-77. Bedford-born Tom Kendall bowled Australia to victory with 7 for 55 in the second innings of that match, while England's Alfred Shaw just pipped Kendall's match figures (8 for 109) with 8 for 89. Apart from that, the best innings bowling figures by anyone in his country's first Test match are Naimur Rahman's 6 for 132 for Bangladesh against India at Dhaka in 2000-01.

Stephen Fleming's ODI bowling statistics have always been a source of amusement to me. When did he take his single wicket, and why was he bowling? asked Alex Leslie from New Zealand

Steven Fleming, the bowler? Not quite, but a good thrower when he has to be © Getty Images

Stephen Fleming's one and only international wicket came over ten years ago now, during the 1995-96 World Cup. During New Zealand's match against the Netherlands at Baroda, it became apparent that Holland - in their first official one-day international - were not going to threaten a target of 308. Lee Germon gave Fleming a bowl, and soon effected a stumping off his opposite number, Marcel Schewe. It was Fleming's 39th ODI: he has not taken another wicket yet, and has now played 267 such matches. He has only bowled two overs since, and they were also more than ten years ago.

Has there yet been a Test cricketer who hailed from the United Arab Emirates or the Gulf States? asked Arshad Bashir from Dubai

The only one so far is Shakeel Ahmed, who won one Test cap for Pakistan, against Australia at Karachi in 1998-99. A left-arm spinner who was born in Kuwait in 1966, Shakeel took four wickets in the second innings - including the scalps of both Waugh twins - but generally doesn't seem to have impressed the selectors overmuch, as he was never chosen again. In a long career, playing largely for Rawalpindi teams, Shakeel took 365 wickets at 22.91.

Regarding last week's question about Becher's Brook, I seem to remember ages ago hearing about a cricketer who had ridden the winner of the Grand National. Am I imagining things? asked Sophie Armstrong from Eastbourne

No, you're not imagining it: the man in question was Major John Wilson, who played 11 matches as an amateur for Yorkshire between 1911 and 1913. After an eventful First World War - he was one of the first airmen to take part in a bombing raid over Germany, and also shot down a Zeppelin over Hull - he rode Double Chance to victory in the 1925 Grand National at Aintree. In a race where a lot of the runners fell at the Canal Turn, Double Chance ended up four lengths in front of the favourite, Old Tay Bridge. The following year Old Tay Bridge was second again - but Wilson's mount, Grecian Wave, was a faller. Click here for an article about Wilson from the Wisden Cricket Monthly archive.