Question and Answer: Platform for your sporting queries

Q. In a penalty shoot-out, what happens if the competition reaches the 11th penalty, but one of the teams had had a man sent off?

A. The Laws of Association Football 1998-99 clearly state on page 53 (kicks from the penalty mark), the following rules:

14) When all the players in a team have taken a kick from the penalty mark, it is not necessary that they follow the same order in taking their second kick as they had for the first series of kicks;

18) After each team has taken 10 kicks from the penalty mark, a team which has had a player sent off may use a player who has already taken a kick for the 11th kick.

When all else fails, consult the rulebook. I am sure that most players and supporters are not aware of its existence.

David Mort, Leigh

Q. Is the Sri Lankan bowler W P U J C Vaas the only international cricketer to have more initials than the number of letters in his surname?

A. J E B B P Q C Dwyer was an Australian who played a few seasons for Sussex in the early part of this century, but as he never played a Test, does not strictly qualify as an international. His names were John Elicius Benedict Bernard Placid Quirk Carrington. He died in 1912, at 36.

Geoff Hayman, Lytham St Annes

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. Does anyone know if any other German or Italian prisoner of war, apart from the great Bert Trautmann, stayed on and played in either the Football League or the Scottish League?

Ron Birch, Solihull

Q. Which racecourse was the first to use the photo-finish, and who was responsible for this now-accepted innovation?

Kevin Maguire, Batley

Q. At Wimbledon, and I dare say at other top tournaments as well, they used to give a player's nationality on the official scoreboard. When and why did this practice cease?

Tim Mickleburgh, Grimsby

If you know an answer to this, or have a sporting question of your own, write to Question and Answer, Sports Desk, Independent on Sunday, 1 Canada Square London E14 5DL. Fax: 0171-293 2894.