We’ve learnt about all the different Cricketing Terms, and we now (sort of) understand a number of the different Umpire Signals. Let’s talk about all those weird sounding fielding positions.
Cricket is a game of strategy and precision. It involves meticulous planning not only in batting and bowling but also in field placements. The strategic placement of fielders forms the backbone of a team’s defence strategy, dictating the flow of the game and creating opportunities for wickets. In this post, we delve into the intricacies of fielding positions in cricket, highlighting their significance for team defence, player roles, and the enriched viewing experience they offer to fans.
Understanding the Strategic Placement of Fielders
There are times, as a batter, when you look out at the field and it seems that all you can see are fielders. Every where you hit the ball, there seems to be a fielder to stop it. If you accidentally hit the ball in the air, there’s a fielder there to catch it. It can seem there are 100 fielders out there.
On the other hand, to a fielding captain, it sometimes seems like you have acres and acres of field, and so few people to put in that field. If you move a fielder from one place, the ball then invariable goes to where that fielder was.
But regardless of whether you are a batter thinking the field is overpopulated with fielders, or a fielding captain wishing you had more fielders, the number of actual fielders are always the same.
Nine.
That is all.
If you take away the bowler and the wicket keeper, who always stands in the same place, there are always 9 other fielders covering the entirety of the rest of the field.
This means that not every fielding position can have a fielder placed there, so where a fielder is placed is a strategic decision on the part of the fielding captain.
From the close-in fielders to the outfielders, each player has a specific role to play in restricting the opposition’s scoring opportunities. For instance, fielders in positions like slips and gully are strategically placed to capitalize on edges and catches off the bat, while those in the outfield aim to prevent boundaries and cut off scoring opportunities by swiftly fielding the ball and throwing it back to the wicketkeeper or bowler.
A well-thought-out fielding arrangement can complement the bowler’s strategy, applying pressure on the batters and forcing them into making mistakes. Moreover, fielding positions adapt dynamically based on the bowler’s line and length, the batter’s style of play, and the match situation, showcasing the flexibility and adaptability required in cricket.
Why Knowing Fielding Positions Enhances the Viewing Experience for Fans
Understanding fielding positions adds a layer of depth to the viewing experience for cricket enthusiasts. It allows fans to appreciate the tactical nuances of the game, anticipate strategic moves by captains, and analyze the effectiveness of field placements in containing runs and taking wickets.
The more you get to understand the game of cricket, the more you begin to be able to read the plans and intricacies of the fielding captain. This means you can begin to predict where the bowler will bowl, and how the batters will respond.
When the field is tight in to the batter, you know that the bowlers are in control. They are on the attack and are hunting for wickets. Sometimes a fielding captain will leave a position vacant, hoping that the batter sees this and try and play a shot there. Why? Because maybe the fielding captain knows the ball is swinging a bit, and if the batter tries to hit a bowl at that spot, they may instead knick it behind.
When you understand the field placements, you begin, as a fan, to understand the mental game that is happening between the fielding captain and the batter.
Behind the Batter: The Key Roles of Wicket Keeper to Square Leg
In the intricate web of cricket fielding positions, those stationed behind the batter play pivotal roles in both defensive and reactive capacities. From the wicketkeeper behind the stumps to the catchers in the slips, and the boundary preventers in the deep, each position contributes uniquely to the team’s overall strategy.
Wicket Keeper
The wicket keeper stands behind the stumps for every single ball of the day. Out of every fielding position, the wicket keeper is the one fielding position that is always occupied. Whether standing up to the stumps for slow spin bowlers, or back for the quicker bowlers, the wicket keeper gets their hands on the ball more often than any other player.
Slips
The slips fielders are catching fielders that stand alongside the wicket keeper, waiting for the ball to come off the edge of the bat. These are specialist fielding positions, and require extremely good reflexes and hand-eye co-ordination. The slip cordon can have anywhere between 0 and 5 fielders in it, depending on how attacking the fielding captain is at any point in time.
Each player in the slip cordon needs to be positioned precisely. On a fast pitch, they may be positioned well back, as the ball will fly off an outside edge and you don’t want to be too close as catching the ball becomes more difficult. On a slow pitch, they will creep forwards, as edges will not travel as far. A slip fielder always needs to know where the next person is in the slip cordon, and makes sure that they are positioned so that the ball can’t get between them, but that there’s enough space so that one slip fielder, when diving, doesn’t interfere with the next.
Gully
To a right hand batter standing at 12 o’clock, the gully fielder is at about 10 o’clock, about thirty metres from the batter. This position demands exceptional agility and reflexes, as the gully fielder must be ready to pounce on deflections and redirects off the bat, preventing runs and maintaining pressure on the batting side. This is known as being a difficult position to field in, and usually requires a fielder who specialises at fielding at that spot.
Third Man
Located at about 11 o’clock to a right hander, the third man fielder is usually on the boundary. They are usually there to stop boundaries from batters guiding the ball through the gaps between slips and the gully. Although sometimes, if a batter is really trying to slog the ball, they might get an edge that flies all the way down to their position.
Fine Leg
Located on the boundary at around 1 o’clock for a right hander, the fine leg fielder is usually there to stop boundaries from batters nudging the ball off their pads. Often the fielder at fine leg is the bowler who is bowling at the other end, as it gives them a little rest between overs.
Patrolling the Offside: From Point to Mid Off
In cricket, the offside field is a crucial area for both bowlers and fielders to exploit. From intercepting powerful drives to halting straight shots, fielders stationed in positions ranging from point to mid off play integral roles in maintaining defensive integrity and seizing scoring opportunities. Let’s dissect the significance of each position along the offside.
Point
Located at 9 o’clock for a right hander about thirty metres from the bat, the point fielder can be both a catching fielder and a run-stopping fielder. The point fielder must be able to quickly determine the trajectory of the ball and be able to move swiftly in both directions to dive for a quick catch or to field the ball. Like many fielding positions in cricket, the point fielding position has both a ‘deep’ and ‘short’ position. Deep Point is located on the boundary to stop balls going for 4 runs, while the ‘short’ position – usually called ‘silly point’ because you have to be silly to field that close – are there for defensive shots that balloon off the bat, or edges that hit the pad first before going to the fielder.
Cover Point
Located at about 8 o’clock for a right hander about thirty metres from the bat, the fielder must be able to catch well, diving to both sides, and be able to stop boundary shots, but also be alert in stopping singles. Stopping singles is a great way to increase pressure, because a batter struggling to score runs is liable to do something stupid, like go for a big hit to a ball that isn’t there to be hit. The cover point fielder needs to be quick enough to swoop on these singles and have an accurate arm to knock over the stumps to attempt a run out.
Extra Cover
Located at about 7:30 for a right hander about thirty metres from the bat, this fielder is often in the firing line for powerfully hit drives down the ground. There is also a ‘deep’ variant of this position, located on the boundary rope to stop the fours. Like the Cover Point fielder, this fielder must be ready to stop the strongly hit off drives from going to the boundary, but also be quick to stop the singles and increase the pressure on the batters.
Mid Off
Located at about 7 o’clock for a right hander about thirty metres from the bat, this fielder is there for the straight drives. They must be able to stop strongly hit drives on both sides, including ones that get past the bowler in his follow through. There are both ‘deep’ (more commonly called ‘Long off’) and ‘short’ (or ‘silly’) variants of this position.
Defending the Onside: Navigating from Mid On to Fine Leg
In cricket, the onside presents a realm of scoring opportunities for batters, requiring diligent defence and agile fielding to thwart runs and create chances for dismissals. Each position along the onside plays a crucial role in the team’s defensive strategy.
Mid On
Located at about 5 o’clock for a right hander, about thirty metres from the bat, this position is the mirror position to mid-off. And they are there for similar reasons; to cut off the straight drives that go to the on-side of the wicket. There are also ‘deep’ (more commonly called ‘Long on’) and ‘short’ (or ‘silly’) variants of this position.
Mid Wicket
Located at around 4 o’clock for the right hander, approximately 30 metres from the bat, this fielder protects against the wristy flicks off the pads from the batter. This fielder also needs to be quick to the ball and accurate at throwing at the stumps to prevent batters taking sneaky singles and getting off strike. This position also has a ‘deep’ variant, on the boundary.
Square Leg
Located at around 3 o’clock for the right hander, approximately 30 metres from the bat, square leg has to contend with balls being struck powerfully off the batter’s pads. These can sometimes be full fledged powerful horizontal shots or flicks off the pads, so the fielder has to be alert, agile and often predict when the ball might come in their direction and be prepared for it.
This position has a ‘deep’ and ‘short’ variant, and the ‘short’ variant, usually called ‘short leg’, is one of the most dangerous positions on the field as a fielder. This is because the fielder is only a few metres away from the batter, in a position where the batter generates the most power from their strokes. A fielder in short leg is there only to catch a ball that comes to them off a defensive stroke, or an edge into the pad, and is not expected to catch a ball that it struck with force.
Conclusion
In the guide above, we’ve mentioned a few of the more well-known fielding positions in cricket. Some fielding positions have a ‘short’ or a ‘deep’ variation, which we’ve mentioned, but some also have a ‘forward’ and a ‘backward’ variant, which we didn’t mention. Where ‘short’ and ‘deep’ indicate distance from the batter – the ‘x’ axis – ‘forward’ and ‘backward’ indicates a difference in position along the ‘y’ axis of the field. If you assume the end at which the batter stands is ‘up’, the ‘forward’ variation of a position is a few metres ‘down’ from the main position, while the ‘backward’ variation is a few metres ‘up’ from the main position.
There are dozens and dozens of official positions, and a fielding captain can make up his own positions on the fly. A captain has only a limited number of resources, nine fielders, that he can use to plug up gaps in the field. Setting fields is like a game of chess, with moves and counter-moves between the fielding captain and the batter. Understanding these mental games can help a fan appreciate the game of cricket even more.
What is the strangest fielding position you have every seen? And do you have any interesting fielding stories to tell? Please leave a comment and let’s get a conversation started.