Mid on

Fifty years ago mid on was the place to which the weakest fielder in a team was generally assigned. Today  in first class cricket, with so  much  emphasis  on the leg  stump  in attack  and  the  development  of one  side play, it is one  of the most  important.

Most of what has been written about mid off is equally true of mid on. His position too, both in depth and in angle to the batsman, will very within wide limits, especially in relation to the nature of the bowler’s attack and the placing of a forward square leg; indeed none of the regular places is more elastic than mid on. With the stock bowler attacking the off  stump on a fast wicket, he may be about  level with  the bowler’s wicket and  some four yards to the right of it: conversely, with an off spinner bowling  round the wicket and really  turning the ball, mid one’s normal position may  be more or less convered by  the combination of a forward square leg  and the  bowler, and  he may  find  himself 15 yds deeper and either almost behind the bowler or much wider in what is normally now known as “mid wicket”. As with mid off he must always be prepared to save the bowler’s hands by getting up to the wicket to take fast returns.

For him, as for mid off, good hands, quickness of starting and a fast return are essential.

He should cultivate a fast under hand “flip” aimed at the bowler’s wicket: particularly if he is standing deep, this may often provide a  better  chance of a run out  than a throw at the striker’s  wicket.