mid-wicket: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical (Cricket)
Quick answer
What does “mid-wicket” mean?
A fielding position in cricket, on the leg side roughly at the same distance from the batsman as the wicket and at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fielding position in cricket, on the leg side roughly at the same distance from the batsman as the wicket and at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Used primarily in cricket terminology to designate a specific area of the field and the player stationed there. The term is fixed and never used outside the sport's context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
This term is almost exclusively used in cricket-playing nations (e.g., UK, Australia, India). In American English, it is virtually unknown except among expatriates or followers of cricket.
Connotations
In the UK and Commonwealth nations, it carries precise sporting connotations. In the US, it is largely meaningless or recognized only as an obscure cricket term.
Frequency
High frequency in cricket commentary and literature in the UK and Commonwealth. Extremely low to zero frequency in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “mid-wicket” in a Sentence
[fielder] fields at mid-wicket[batsman] plays the ball to mid-wicket[captain] places a fielder at mid-wicketVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mid-wicket” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The mid-wicket region is crucial for limiting singles.
- He played a classic mid-wicket glance.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in academic papers or texts specifically about cricket.
Everyday
Only in everyday conversation in cricket-playing cultures when discussing the sport.
Technical
Exclusively technical term within the sport of cricket.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mid-wicket”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mid-wicket”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mid-wicket”
- Spelling as one word: 'midwicket' (sometimes accepted, but hyphenated is standard).
- Using it to describe a person's general location outside of cricket.
- Confusing it with 'mid-off', which is on the opposite side of the pitch.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a term specific to cricket and is not used in American sports like baseball or football.
Yes, it can refer to the fielder who is stationed in that position, e.g., 'Mid-wicket dropped a crucial catch.'
The rough opposite position is 'mid-off', which is on the off side of the pitch at a similar distance.
It is a compound noun formed from 'mid' (meaning middle) and 'wicket', and hyphenation is the standard orthographic convention for such positional terms in cricket (e.g., mid-off, mid-on).
A fielding position in cricket, on the leg side roughly at the same distance from the batsman as the wicket and at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Mid-wicket is usually technical (cricket) in register.
Mid-wicket: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɪd ˈwɪk.ɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɪd ˈwɪk.ɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none directly from this term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a cricket pitch. 'Wicket' is the set of stumps. 'Mid' means halfway. So 'mid-wicket' is a spot roughly halfway out from the wicket, but on the leg side (where the batsman's legs are).
Conceptual Metaphor
SPORTING TACTICAL POSITIONS ARE LOCATIONS ON A MAP.
Practice
Quiz
In which sport is the term 'mid-wicket' used?