Fantasy cricket has a clear hierarchy of attention. Openers get picked first, because they face the most balls. Finishers get picked for their strike rates and their six-hitting. And the players in between, the middle-order batsmen at numbers three to six, get picked last, almost as an afterthought. That is a mistake. Middle-order batsmen are often the best-value picks in the game: they cost fewer credits than the star openers, they bat in the most important phase of the innings, and they have more ways to score than most players realise. This guide explains why the middle order deserves more of your attention.

The middle order is underpriced for a simple reason: fantasy pricing follows fame, and fame follows openers. The players who open the batting are the names on the posters, so they cost the most credits. Middle-order batsmen are less famous, so they cost less, but their scoring opportunity is nearly as good. A number four batter in a T20 match often faces as many balls as an opener, because openers get out early more often than people think, and when the top order fails, the middle order bats the bulk of the innings.

The maths supports the case. An opener who faces 30 balls and scores 35 is a decent pick, but a middle-order batter who walks in during the eighth over, faces 25 balls and scores 40 not out is a better one, because the not-out innings adds bonus points and the strike rate is higher. Middle-order batsmen also benefit from the fielding restrictions lifting: they bat when the field is spread, which means more gaps, more twos, and more boundaries through the outfield. The market prices them as secondary players, but their opportunity is primary. There is also a practical advantage: middle-order batsmen are more consistent. Openers either fire or fail, because they face the new ball against fresh bowlers. Middle-order batsmen face older balls, tired bowlers and spread fields, which makes their scores steadier from match to match. In fantasy cricket, where your rank depends on your total across many matches, a steady 45-point player is often worth more than a boom-or-bust opener who scores 100 one day and 5 the next.

The best middle-order picks are the ones who bat in the top six and have a fixed role. A number three batter who always comes in after the first wicket is a far better pick than a number six who only bats when the team is in trouble. Check the batting order over the last five matches, not just the last one, because teams shuffle their middle order more than their openers. The player who has batted at four in four of the last five games is a reliable pick; the player who has batted everywhere from three to seven is a gamble.

Favour middle-order batsmen who also contribute in the field or with the ball. A part-time bowler who bowls two overs and fields in a catching position adds points in three ways, and that versatility is what turns a good pick into a great one. Also look for players who are strong against spin, because the middle overs are when spinners bowl, and a batter who struggles against spin will fail in exactly the phase where he is supposed to score. A quick look at a player's record against spin tells you whether he belongs in your team or not.

Most players captain an opener or an all-rounder, and that is usually correct. But there are matches where a middle-order batter is the best captain pick available. The clearest case is when the opposition has a weak middle-overs attack: if their spinners are expensive and their fifth bowler is a part-timer, a good number four will feast, and doubling his points is the highest-value move on the board. The second case is a chasing match on a good pitch, where the middle order will get a full innings to build a score while the openers set the platform.

For your vice-captain, a middle-order batter is often the safest choice in the game, because his floor is high: even on a bad day for his team, he usually faces enough balls to score something. Avoid captaining a middle-order batter who bats at six or seven, because he may not get to bat at all if the top order does well. The rule is simple: captain the middle-order batter who is guaranteed a bat and likely to face 20 balls or more, and leave the lower-order hitters for the differential slot. The middle order will not win you a contest on its own, but it will stop you losing one.

Openers get the headlines, but middle-order batsmen win the quiet points. They cost less, they bat in the best phase of the innings, and their scores are steadier. Give numbers three to six a proper place in your team, and your fantasy results will follow.