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The term 'top order' refers to

The "top order" is

  • The openers

    Votes: 1 4.3%
  • The openers plus first drop

    Votes: 15 65.2%
  • The top four

    Votes: 7 30.4%

  • Total voters
    23

kiwiviktor81

International Debutant
I saw that KW is on CricInfo as a "middle-order" batsman. That got me thinking that I've never seen a definitive answer to what constitutes top order. I would have thought that first drop was still a top order position. However, I've heard 3-4-5 referred to as the middle order. Also I have heard 1-2-3-4 referred to as the top order.

What is the consensus?

Bonus points if you also know where the "lower order" begins.
 

cnerd123

likes this
Top Order - 1,2,3, occasionally 4
Middle Order - 4,5,6,7
Lower-Middle Order - 6,7,8
Lower Order - 7,8,9,10,11
Tail - Wherever the recognised batsmen stop

Hope that clears things up.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Top order is the top 4 in my book.

The middle order is 5 through 7

But wait news flash some people call 3-6 the middle order even though they also call the top 4 the top order. They use either middle order or top order for positions 3-4 interchangeably without thought.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I don't see any particular reason why top and middle order have to be mutually exclusive descriptions.
 

TheJediBrah

Request Your Custom Title Now!
There is obviously no definitive answer

Top Order - 1,2,3, occasionally 4
Middle Order - 4,5,6,7
Lower-Middle Order - 6,7,8
Lower Order - 7,8,9,10,11
Tail - Wherever the recognised batsmen stop

Hope that clears things up.
^Pretty much this, which should be obvious IMO
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
Top of the order 1 & 2
Middle order 3-6
Lower order 7-11

The quality of the persons in situ is irrelevant. Whether you have Adam Gilchrist or Derek Pringle at 7 doesn't matter. It's still the same spot in the order.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Top Order - 1,2,3, occasionally 4
Middle Order - 4,5,6,7
Lower-Middle Order - 6,7,8
Lower Order - 7,8,9,10,11
Tail - Wherever the recognised batsmen stop

Hope that clears things up.

how would that clear things up when you have different terms for the same position :s
 

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
Use of the word "top" suggests high quality. Accordingly, most of the teams from the subcontinent have no top order.
 

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