Winning with fewest wickets lost, and the youngest to 2000

Which country has won a Test match losing the fewest wickets? asked Pradeep Paul from London

There have been four Tests in which the winning side lost only two wickets. The first was at Lord's in 1924, when England scored 531 for 2 declared and bowled South Africa out for 273 and 240. At Headingley in 1958, England (267 for 2 dec) beat New Zealand (67 and 129), and England were also involved 16 years later, at Edgbaston in 1974, when they scored 459 for 2 dec and easily defeated India (165 and 216). The most recent occasion was in April 2003, when South Africa (470 for 2 dec) beat Bangladesh (173 and 237) in Chittagong. For a full list, click here.

Is Alastair Cook the youngest Englishman to reach 2000 runs in Tests? asked Ben Connolly from Bedford

It turns out that he is - Alastair Cook was only 79 days past his 23rd birthday when he reached the 2000-run mark during the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington in March. Actually only five players from other countries have reached 2000 at a more tender age: India's Sachin Tendulkar predictably heads the list, being just short of his 21st birthday when he reached 2000, while Garry Sobers of West Indies, Pakistan's Javed Miandad, and Ramnaresh Sarwan of West Indies all did so at the ripe old age of 22. South Africa's Graeme Smith also passed 2000 Test runs when younger than Cook - by 25 days.

I'm looking forward to England's series against South Africa, and wondered who the leading run-scorers and wicket-takers were in such Tests? asked William Breakspear from Lincoln

Two vintage South Africans head the run-scoring lists in England-South Africa Tests: Bruce Mitchell made 2732 runs and Herbie Taylor 2287. Then come two Englishmen, Denis Compton (2205 at 53.78) and Wally Hammond (2188 at 62.51). The only other man with more than 2000 runs is South Africa's Dudley Nourse, with 2037. The leading current player is Jacques Kallis, with 1412 runs. Among the bowlers the great South African pair of Shaun Pollock (91 wickets) and Allan Donald (86) lead the way, ahead of the great Sydney Barnes, who took 83 wickets in only seven Tests against South Africa, at the astonishing average of 9.85.

Which Test player was known as "Scarlet"? asked Bob Higgins from Southampton

I'm tempted to say it was the West Indian offspinner Reg Scarlett, who played three Tests against England in 1959-60, but actually I think the man you're after is the great Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett, who took 216 wickets in only 37 Tests. Grimmett had a variety of nicknames, including "Grum", "The Fox" and (pre-dating Keith Fletcher) "The Gnome" - but he was also sometimes known as "Scarlet". This was because his wily bowling reminded some people of the Scarlet Pimpernel - they sought him here, they sought him there, but they could never quite get hold of him.

What is the highest Test total without anyone getting a century? And what's the highest without anyone getting a half-century? asked Jack Hodge

The highest Test total not to include a century is 524 for 9 dec, by India against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976-77. All 11 batsmen reached double figures, but the highest score was Mohinder Amarnath's 70. In all there were six half-centuries, including one from Bishan Bedi. Two other sides have reached 500 without an individual century: South Africa made 517 against Australia in Adelaide in 1997-98, when the highest score was Brian McMillan's 87 not out, while Pakistan made 500 for 8 declared against Australia in Melbourne in 1981-82, when Mudassar Nazar top-scored with 95 and Zaheer Abbas hit 90. The highest Test score without an individual half-century is England's 315 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1985-86: the highest score was David Gower's 47, although there were 59 extras in that one. England also made 304 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2004-05, when the highest score was 42 from Steve Harmison at No. 11 (and there were only 27 extras that time). South Africa also passed 300 without a half-century against New Zealand in Wellington in 1963-64 - the highest score in their 302 was Peter van der Merwe's 44.

Who has scored the most runs in a Test series - of three, four and five matches? asked Jeetan Sharma from Gurgaon

The most runs in a five-Test series is Don Bradman's 974 (average 139.14) in seven innings on Australia's 1930 tour of England. The best in a complete series of four Tests is 703 (87.87) by George Headley for West Indies v England in 1929-30: Viv Richards scored 829 runs (118.42) in four Tests for West Indies in England in 1976, but that was a five-match series, and he missed the second one through illness - much to the relief of the England bowlers. The record for a three-Test series is 752 (average 125.33) by Graham Gooch for England v India in 1990, while the highest in a six-Test series is 839 (83.90) by Mark Taylor for Australia v England in 1989.