Cricket Fielding Positions
Published on: Aug 19, 2022 11:51 am IST|Updated on: Aug 19, 2022 11:51 am IST
The game of cricket has been orchestrated with number of field positions as captains and bowlers are often seen negotiating their paths. With it is the first over of the match or the last over of the match, the role of a fielder has a huge significance in the game of cricket.
List of Cricket Fielding Positions
| Field Position | Description |
| Slip | Slips stand next to the wicket-keeper and are generally placed in an arc formation – you’ll see more of these in Test cricket |
| Fly Slip | A fly slip is a slip that is further away from the wicket usually about halfway towards the boundary rope. |
| Gully | A gully is close to the slips but is located just behind the line of the wicket on the off side to snap up thick edge opportunities. |
| Third Man | A third man will either be deep or short. They are usually behind slips and it is a common position in one-day cricket. |
| Point | A point fielder is square of the wicket on the off side. |
| Sweeper | This is a modern position and typically refers to a point fielder who is near the boundary and sweeps up aggressive shots. |
| Long Stop | You don’t see this very often and is a fielder situated on the boundary directly behind the wicket-keeper. |
| Deep Mid Wicket | Also known as Cow Corner. Located on the boundary on the leg side and usually very involved in the game. |
| Cover | On the off side between point and mid-off and can save crucial runs in an innings. |
| Cover Point | Between point and cover and is usually used in combination with a cover. |
| Extra Cover | On the off side between the cover and mid-off positions. |
| Mid Off | A relatively straight position, close to the bowler on the off side, crucial for stopping straight drives. |
| Mid On | Similar to a mid-off but on the leg side. |
| Mid Wicket | At the halfway point between the bowler and the wicket-keeper on the leg side. |
| Square Leg | At a position square to the wicket on the leg side, usually near to the square leg umpire. |
| Backward Square | · Just behind the square position on the leg side, usually used deeper. |
| Leg Gully | A catching position on the leg side, opposite to a traditional gully, rarely used. |
| Leg Slip | Closer to the wicket keeper on the leg side, opposite to a traditional slip, rarely used. |
| Fine Leg | At a 45-degree angle between the square leg position and the wicket-keeper on the leg side |
| Long Leg | Similar to fine leg, long leg will be placed on the boundary. |
| Long Off | The deeper version of a Mid Off and placed on the boundary. |
| Long On | The deeper version of a Mid On and placed on the boundary. |
| Short Leg | A close catching position, just in front of square on the leg side. |
| Silly Point | A close catching position, just in front of square on the off side. |
While every fielder has it’s own importance, a particular fielder can also change the course of the game with a magnificent moment of it’s own. No better example of a fielder that changed the course of the game in the 2019 Cricket World Cup semifinal, where an exceptional field position got the better of MS Dhoni and the entire Indian cricket team.
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