In the recent Test at Sylhet Sri Lanka had two individual centuries, but their total was only 280. Was this the lowest completed Test innings to include two hundreds? asked Zaheer Ahmed from the United States, among others
Sri Lanka's first innings in Sylhet, in which both Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis made 102, is the second-lowest completed innings total in Tests to contain two individual hundreds. But it's very close: New Zealand's 279 in the first innings against India in Hamilton in 2008-09 included centuries from Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori.
West Indies made 275 for 9 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in 2014-15, with Marlon Samuels and Kraigg Brathwaite making centuries. The lowest Test total of all to contain two individual centuries, ignoring the qualification of a completed innings, is Pakistan's 230 for 3 as they beat New Zealand by seven wickets in Hyderabad in 1984-85, with hundreds from Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad.
Sri Lanka's 280 in Sylhet was the lowest completed total to include a partnership of 200 or more in a Test, beating New Zealand's 283 against West Indies in Kingston in 1984-85, when Geoff Howarth and Jeff Crowe put on 210 for the second wicket. Australia's 262 against England in Sydney in 1881-82 included a stand of 199 between Alec Bannerman and Percy McDonnell.
De Silva and Mendis both also scored centuries in the second innings. This was only the third time two batters from the same side had scored hundreds in each innings of the same Test, after Ian and Greg Chappell for Australia against New Zealand in Wellington in 1973-74, and Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq for Pakistan vs Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014-15.
Who has made the highest score in his final one-day international? asked James Holland from England
*No fewer than 15 men have scored a century in their final one-day international (that includes four current players who will probably appear again). Highest of all is the West Indian opener John Campbell, with 179 against Ireland in Dublin in 2019. Next comes New Zealand's James Marshall, who hit 161 against Ireland in July 2008 in Aberdeen, where he shared an opening partnership of 274 with Brendon McCullum, who was out first for 166.
The Dutch pair of Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk and Feiko Kloppenburg both hit hundreds in what turned out to be their last ODI, against Namibia in Bloemfontein during the 2003 World Cup. For the full list, click here.
I noticed that Andy Flower averaged more than 94 against India in Tests, and even higher in India. How does this compare with other players against India? asked Mark Coulson from Zambia
Zimbabwe's Andy Flower did indeed have a splendid record against India. In nine Tests against them overall he averaged 94.83; the only man with a better average who played more often was the brilliant West Indian Everton Weekes, with 106.78 from ten matches, including seven centuries.
The England batter-turned-commentator David Lloyd tops the table - he averaged 260 against India, but was only out once. Next comes Don Bradman, who averaged 178.75 in his only series against India, in Australia in 1947-48, when he was 39.
Flower actually averaged 117.14 in his five Tests in India, a figure exceeded only by West Indies' Jimmy Adams, whose mark of 173.33 is bolstered by three not-outs from his six innings. Weekes averaged 111.28 in India, and another great West Indian, Garry Sobers, 99.88 from eight matches there (more than anyone above him). For that list, click here.
Both captains in the first women's ODI between Australia and Bangladesh last week were also wicketkeepers. Has this happened in women's cricket before? asked Taimur Mirza from Australia
The captains in the one-day international in Mirpur last week were Nigar Sultana of Bangladesh and Australia's Alyssa Healy. This was the eighth time that the captains in a women's ODI were also the designated keepers, a number which includes both matches between Australia (Jodie Fields) and West Indies (Merissa Aguilleira) in the 2013 World Cup.
There are 11 similar doubles in women's T20Is, but none in women's Tests. There have been nine men's Tests in which both captains kept wicket, plus 61 ODIs and also 24 T20Is. (This is counting designated wicketkeepers only, not anyone who might have taken over during a match.)
I noticed that when the United States played New Zealand in the Champions Trophy in 2004, they had two 40-year-old debutants (both called Johnson!). Was this unique? asked Maxwell Williams from New Zealand
The Johnson & Johnson who played for the United States against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy at The Oval in September 2004 were wicketkeeper Mark (born October 28, 1963) and seamer Howard (August 16, 1964). They were both born in Jamaica, but I don't think they were related.
This was the USA's first official one-day international, and their side also included Barbados-born Tony Reid, who was 42. Also there was 42-year-old Clayton Lambert, but he had previously played ODIs for West Indies.
Surprisingly perhaps, this was not the first ODI side to contain three 40-year-old debutants. When Netherlands contested their first such match, against New Zealand in Vadodara during the 1996 World Cup, their team included Nolan Clarke (the oldest debutant of all at 47), Flavian Aponso (43) and captain Steven Lubbers (42). These are the only two ODIs to contain more than one debutant aged 40 or over. For the full list, click here.
There have been a lot of mature newcomers in T20Is. Turkey's side against Luxembourg in Ilfov County in August 2019 included three men who were aged 54 or over, and 59-year-old Osman Goker made his debut for them later the same day against hosts Romania.
*March 26, 2024, 07:50 GMT: This answer replaces an earlier one, which was wrong after an incorrect database query.
Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions