The Slip Cordon: How Catching Positions Behind the Wicket Work
The mechanics of the slip cordon — how first, second, and third slip are positioned, the gully relationship, how cordon depth and angle change for pace vs spin bowling, the psychological demands of slip fielding, and why some players are natural slip catchers while others struggle in the cordon.
The Purpose of the Slip Cordon
The slip cordon — the row of fielders positioned behind and to the off side of the wicketkeeper — exists to catch the outside edge. When a pace bowler shapes the ball away from the right-handed batsman (outswing, away-seam), the most likely dismissal is an edge from a drive or defensive push that travels at catching height to the slip region. The slip cordon catches these edges, which without fielders there would travel to the boundary for 4 runs.
First slip stands closest to the wicketkeeper, at roughly the same height and slightly wider. Second slip stands wider than first slip, positioned to catch edges that travel lower and wider. Third slip (when used) extends the cordon further wide still, positioned for the thick outside edge or the ball that the batsman has got bat-pad on at a wider angle. Gully — not technically in the slip cordon but closely related — stands squarer (more toward point) to catch thick edges and cut-shot mishits.
Depth and Angle: Pace vs Spin
The slip cordon's depth (distance from the stumps) changes significantly based on the pace of the bowling. For a fast bowler at 140+ km/h, the slip fielders stand approximately 12-18 metres behind the stumps — the ball travels at such speed off the edge that fielders need more distance to react and move into position. For a medium-pace bowler at 120 km/h, slips stand closer (9-12 metres). For a spinner, slips can stand as close as 6-8 metres — the ball's slower speed means the fielder's reaction time is adequate from a shorter distance, and standing close maximises the chance of taking a sharp, low catch from a batsman playing forward.
The angle of the cordon also adjusts: for an away-swing bowler (the ball curving away from the batsman), the cordon angles more toward the off side to account for the edge travelling more squarely. For a seam-up bowler who moves the ball less, the slips line up more directly behind the wicketkeeper. Captains and wicketkeepers communicate constantly during a spell to adjust slip positions based on how the ball is behaving and where near-misses (edges that fell short or wide) have landed.
The Demands of Slip Fielding
Slip fielding requires a specific combination of physical and psychological skills: rapid hand-eye coordination to react to edges that travel 30-50 metres per second; low-body positioning (crouching to be at the right height for the most common edge height); peripheral vision to track the ball from the edge of the bat without losing focus; and psychological resilience to maintain concentration through long periods when no edges are generated, then react instantly when one arrives.
Frequently asked questions
How many slips can a fielding side use at once?
There is no maximum number of slip fielders under the Laws of Cricket. In theory, a captain could field 8 or 9 slips (impractical but legal). In practice, Test teams rarely use more than 3-4 slips simultaneously, plus gully — using more would leave the rest of the field dangerously under-defended. The record for most slips used simultaneously in a Test match is difficult to verify precisely, but 4-5 slips plus gully has been used in very swing-friendly conditions (England, New Zealand) by aggressive bowling captains.
Is the wicketkeeper considered part of the slip cordon?
The wicketkeeper is positioned directly behind the stumps — not in the slip cordon but adjacent to it. The wicketkeeper takes catches off edges that the slips would not reach (very fine edges that travel only slightly wide of the stumps) and also takes catches from leg-side stumping situations. The wicketkeeper, first slip, and second slip form the most critical triangle of catching positions in Test cricket — if all three are reliable catchers, a pace bowler on a swinging day can take wickets consistently.
What is a 'finger-breaking' edge in cricket commentary?
A 'finger-breaking edge' is a commentator's term for an edge that arrives at a slip fielder at exceptional speed and at an awkward height — typically a thin inside or outside edge off a fast bowler that bullets directly at a slip fielder's hands at chest or face height. At 80+ km/h (the speed of a thin edge off 145 km/h bowling), the ball arrives faster than normal edges and with less time for the fielder to adjust their hand position. These catches are physically demanding and are more likely to result in injury or a dropped chance than a slower-moving edge.