But the ball takes an age to arrive, he gets an inside edge and the ball cannons into middle stump.

A bowling crease is long with the middle stump placed dead centre.

As a result of Lumpy's protests, the middle stump was introduced, although it was some years before its use became universal.

The final ball was short and on the line of middle stump and struck Woodfull over the heart.

"Take a guard on your middle stump, and don't be caught in the slips," Peter cautioned him with the old inanity.

A good decision, too, as the ball was just passing over the top of middle stump.

However the three stumps indicate a date after 1777 when the middle stump was added to the wicket.

He gets it right later in the over, whipping a ball off middle stump and through square leg for three.

Yes, it was hitting middle stump halfway up.

It drifted on to middle stump then spat past the bat after hitting the pitch.