Vaas's late late show, and a three-bowler over

Chaminda Vaas just scored his first century in his 97th Test - is this a record? And who holds the record for ODIs - Sunil Gavaskar? asked Manesh Rawal from Delhi

Chaminda Vaas did score his maiden century in his 97th Test, against Bangladesh in Colombo last week. And yes, that is easily a record: the previous one was held by Jason Gillespie, whose maiden century came in his 71st (and last to date!) Test, for Australia against Bangladesh at Chittagong in April 2006. Zimbabwe's Heath Streak scored his first century in his 56th Test, and Shaun Pollock his first for South Africa in his 51st. Pollock is the record-holder in ODIs: he recently scored his maiden one-day century in his 285th such match, for Africa against Asia at Bangalore. Sunil Gavaskar's only one-day century for India came in the 107th of his 108 matches.

Apparently there was once a Test over that was delivered by three different bowlers. Who were they and when was it? asked Darren Wilcox from Guildford

This strange event occurred during the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at Kandy in 2001-02. It was the fifth over of the match, and it was started by Merv Dillon, who had to go off the field with stomach pains after only two balls. On came the Guyana fast bowler Colin Stuart, but two of his first three deliveries were fast full-tosses over the head of the batsman, Sanath Jayasuriya, and the umpires banned him from bowling again in the innings. The long over was completed by Chris Gayle.

Am I right in thinking that Clarrie Grimmett is the only bowler to go for over 1000 runs in a Test series? asked Robin Brodhurst

Yes, the New Zealand-born Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett conceded 1024 runs in the 1928-29 Ashes series - and he also gave away 925 in the one that followed in England in 1930. There was one very near miss, though: another Australian legspinner, Arthur Mailey, conceded 999 runs in the 1924-25 Ashes series, and also 946 in 1920-21, when Australia won 5-0. An England legspinner, Doug Wright, went for 990 runs in the 1946-47 Ashes series in Australia.

At Adelaide in November 2005, Brian Lara broke a record that led to something very rare happening. So rare, in fact, that the last time it had happened in Test cricket was way back in 1886-87. What was it? asked Deepak Bhakoo from New Zealand

This refers to something that was mentioned in this column at the time. During that match at Adelaide in 2005-06, Brian Lara passed Allan Border to become became the leading runscorer in Test cricket. And shortly afterwards he faced the bowling of Shane Warne, Test cricket's top wicket-taker. The last time these two specific table-toppers were in direct opposition was in 1886-87, when leading Test runscorer Arthur Shrewsbury of England faced the leading wicket-taker of the day, Australia's Fred Spofforth.

Is it true that Sir Garfield Sobers batted at No. 9 in his first Test? Was he picked as a bowler for that match? asked Uwaisul Karnain from Sri Lanka

Yes, that is correct: Garry Sobers made his Test debut against England at Kingston in 1953-54, and batted at No. 9 - he made 14 not out and 26. He was only 17 then, and was primarily selected as a slow left-arm bowler. He soon moved up the batting order, but didn't make a century until his 17th Test - but he made it count, with 365 not out, the Test record at the time, against Pakistan at Kingston in 1957-58.

I read recently about an American named J. Barton King who toured England in 1908. Can you tell me more about him? asked Allen Alexander from the United States

"Bart" King, who was born in Philadelphia in 1873, was almost certainly the greatest cricketer born in the United States. He was a fast bowler who could move the ball from leg, and he toured England three times with strong Philadelphian teams, taking 72 wickets at 24.02 in 1897, 78 at 16.06 in 1903, and 87 at 11.01 in 1908, when he topped the English first-class bowling averages - in successive games he took 7 for 28 against Derbyshire and 14 wickets in the match against Nottinghamshire. In 1909, when he was 35, he took all ten wickets in an innings for 53 for the Philadelphians against the touring Ireland side at Merion (a venue which has since staged the US Open golf championship).