No sixes, and everyone still alive

England scored 333 for 6 in the recent one-day international in Sydney - but hit no sixes. Is this a record? asked Phil Lowenstern from Australia

England's 333 for 6 against Australia in Sydney last week did indeed set a new record for a one-day international total with no sixes. There had been four previous innings of more than 300 without any sixes - the highest, South Africa's 321 for 8 against Pakistanin Nairobi in 1996-97. For the record, the others were India's 309 for 5 against Australia in Cochin in 1997-98, Sri Lanka's 307 for 6 in Colombo in 2009, and Pakistan's 302 for 9 against India in Centurion in 2009-10.

New Zealand's 311 for 7 against Pakistan in Auckland included 12 sixes. Is that a record for the Black Caps in a one-day international? asked Richard Webb from New Zealand

New Zealand have actually had four previous innings in one-day internationals that featured more than a dozen sixes before last week's onslaught against Pakistan in Auckland. Top of the list - and sharing the overall record - is the 18 sixes the Kiwis hit in their demolition of Ireland in Aberdeen in July 2008 (Brendon McCullum smashed 10 sixes, and James Marshall and Ross Taylor four apiece). New Zealand's batsmen also hit 16 sixes (the overall record at the time) against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in August 2005, and 13 twice - against the United States at The Ovalin 2004, and against India in Christchurch in March 2009. For a full list of the most sixes in a one-day international innings, click here.

What is the Test match from longest ago for which both teams are all still alive? asked Jim Concannon from Ireland

This feels slightly like tempting fate, but the Test match from longest ago from which all 22 players are currently still alive is the one between England and Australia in Adelaide in 1970-71. Earlier matches in that series featured Colin Cowdrey and Brian Luckhurst, who both sadly passed away a few years ago. The oldest surviving Test XI dates from March 1963, so is coming up for 48 years (which I believe is the overall record for any Test team): all 11 New Zealanders who played against England in Wellington in March 1963 are still with us as I write.

I know that Mohammad Amir is the youngest to take five wickets in an innings in a Test. But who holds the records for one-day and Twenty20 internationals? asked Bilal Ahmed from Mumbai

Well, first of all Mohammad Amir is not the youngest to take a five-for in a Test: another Pakistani, Nasim-ul-Ghani, holds that record. He was two months short of his 17th birthday when he took 5 for 116 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1957-58. Amir is next - he was 17 years 260 days old when he took 5 for 79 against Australia in Melbourne in 2009-10. In one-day internationals the youngest is Waqar Younis, who was 18 years 164 days old when he took 6 for 26 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in April 1990. In Twenty20 internationals only five bowlers have so far managed five wickets in an innings - but the youngest of them is Tim Southee, who was 15 days past his 22nd birthday when he took 5 for 18 for New Zealand against Pakistan in Auckland on Boxing Day 2010.

What is the lowest Test score in which no one was out for a duck? asked Mike Whittaker from London

Rather surprisingly perhaps, there have been seven completed innings of less than 100 in Tests in which no batsman was out for nought. Lowest of all remains Australia's 75 against South Africa in Durban in 1949-50, in a match the Aussies rather improbably went on to win despite conceding a first-innings lead of 236. Replying to South Africa's 311, Australia made only 75: Colin McCool made 1, and five of the others were out for 2. South Africa batted again but were all out for 99, and Australia - led by a fine hundred from Neil Harvey - knocked off the 336 runs they needed to win the match and clinch the series. "After at one time looking almost certain to be defeated, Australia staged a dramatic recovery and gained a glorious victory with only 25 minutes to spare," reported Wisden, which also praised Harvey's "innings of extraordinary patience and skill".

What is the highest team aggregate score to lose a Test match? asked Naushad Kazi from South Africa

The most runs in aggregate in a Test by the team which ended up losing is 861, by England (496 and 365 for 8 dec) against Australia (458 and 404 for 3) at Headingley in 1948. There are three other Tests in which the losing team amassed 800 or more runs in the match: 817 by England (447 and 370) against Australia (354 and 582) in Adelaide in 1920-21; 804 by Australia (465 and 339) v South Africa (482 and 360) in Adelaide in 1910-11; and 800 by England (425 and 375) against Australia (729 for 6 dec and 72 for 3) at Lord's in 1930.

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