Question and Answer: Platform for your sporting queries

Q. Noting that England are planning to go on the Ashes tour to Australia without a spinner who turns the ball away from the bat, have they ever picked a squad for an overseas tour before without either a left-arm spinner or a leg- spinner, and if they did, who went and what was the result?

A. Judging by past events it is generally not a good idea. In 1982-83, England lost 2-1 to Australia having picked three off-spinners and no one who could turn the ball away from the bat. Geoff Miller (13 wickets at 30.53) and Eddie Hemmings (9 at 45.44) enjoyed moderate success. The third, Vic Marks, did not play a Test but figured in the one-day internationals.

Two years earlier, England had three off-spinners in the West Indies, when they lost 2-0 in a four-match series. John Emburey took seven wickets at 59.85 while Miller (1 for 42) played in only one Test and Peter Willey (1 for 111) was employed mainly as a batsman.

Further back, England drew 1-1 on the 1962-63 Ashes tour with three off- spinners in the shape of Fred Titmus, Dave Allen and Ray Illingworth.

However, there is a twist. In the 5-1 victory against Australia in 1978- 79 England had one left-arm spinner (Phil Edmonds) and two off-spinners (Miller and Emburey). Edmonds was dropped after one Test where he failed to take a wicket while Miller played the whole series taking 23 wickets at 15.04 and Emburey took 16 wickets at 19.12.

David Rimmer, Hertford Heath

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. Glasgow Celtic in 1967 won the European Champions' Cup fielding a team of players born only in Scotland. How many other teams have won with a team of nationally born players?

John McDougall Glasgow

Q. When was the last time an English bowler took 100 first-class wickets in a county season and did not make the winter tour? And what does Andy Caddick have to do?

Simon Davies, Grays, Essex