Ketz, fielding at midwicket is very enjoyable if you like the ball to come to you as often as possible. I spent most of my time feidling at mid off, which I hated, or fine leg, where at least I was able to enjoy the challenge of limiting the batsmen to one run. In the last few weeks of the last season I played, I found my self at midwicket / square leg, and started to really enjoy my fielding. I was always on my toes, ready to prevent quick singles, but also made some great diving stops. Aside from taking a blinding catch, I think there's no better feeling in the field than diving at full stretch to stop a certain boundary. It probably even beats run outs for enjoyment, as you get to throw yourself around a bit.

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Just what is going off out there?

I reckon Ive bowled as many overs to a 7-2 as to any other field so far this season, only reverting to 5-4 once. Ive even had a go with an 8-1 before we put a short leg in. Such has been the manner of our games this year (bowling sides out cheaply chasing our targets) Ive often only had an opening spell and only had to come back twice. I dont see it as a problem bowling to that field because basically anything down legside is rubbish and shouldnt be there. My economy rate is less than 2 so far so its not harming my figures either. I feel the attacking fields are more of a benefit than a hardship because provided i get the ball on the right side of the wicket, theres 7 people there to catch and stop it.

Well, you are obviously a great bowler then Statto, to be able to bowl for a whole season without drifting onto the pads. Do you just chuck it about 2 feet outside off-stump without threatening the wickets? I expect you don't get too many LBWs as if you did you should also concede leg-side runs. If you get LBWs, without ever conceding runs on the leg-side, tell my Gran to stop batting and come home!

But I would doubt, at any level, a 7-2 field would be appropriate most of the time. Of course, people bowl to a 7-2 for small spells, but even the best bowlers in the world need to be on top form with accuracy being paramount. Just watch test cricket and you'll hardly ever see it, unless Kallis is bowling well outside off. I remember I think Lara gave one of his bowlers a 7-2 field in this test series and (if I remember correctly) Ian Bishop was moaning that if he was bowling, he would change things.

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Whatever your difficulties in mathematics, I can assure you mine are far greater!
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

Ive never pretended to be great, you dont need to be to bowl an opening spell aimed at off stump (all I ever said I had done), particularly at medium pace. I wouldnt want to bowl to a 7-2 field against 2 well set batsmen at the death of an innings, but Im not doing that. All Ive had to do so far is open the innings and I have done that with an attacking field. My record from 5 games so far is 12 wickets with 3 LBWs, 3 bowled ans 6 caught between the keeper and cover, at various places in the ring. That said I see no hardship in bowling to fields where all the fielders are where the ball is going.