Catching Positions in Cricket: Where Fielders Stand to Take Chances
Catching positions are fielding placements specifically designed to take catches rather than save runs. This article explains the main catching positions, what deliveries they target, and how teams build catching configurations around their bowling attack.
Catching vs Run-Saving Positions
Fielding positions are broadly divided into catching positions (placed to intercept edge catches and aerial hits) and run-saving positions (placed to prevent scoring runs): catching positions are typically closer to the batsman (within 15-30 metres) and in specific zones where the expected dismissal ball type would travel; run-saving positions are typically deeper (30-65 metres) and positioned in the gap areas where scoring shots travel; and the proportion of catching vs run-saving fielders changes by format — in Test cricket with a new ball, 5-6 catching fielders (slips, gully, short leg, bat-pad) plus only 3 run-savers (mid-on, mid-off, fine-leg) is typical; in T20 cricket's death overs with 5 compulsory outfield fielders, the configuration is reversed — 5 run-savers and only 2-3 catching fielders. The bowling captain builds their fielding configuration around the planned dismissal method.
Primary Catching Positions
The main catching positions and the deliveries they target: first slip (positioned 15-20 metres behind the batsman on the off side) — targets the outside edge from deliveries outside off stump that take the bat's edge; second and third slip — positioned increasingly wider and further back, each targeting a slightly wider and faster outside edge; gully (positioned wider than third slip but at a similar depth) — targets the wider edge that travels at an acute angle; and the short square leg/short mid-wicket catching positions — positioned closer to the batsman on the leg side, targeting inside edges and bat-pad deflections. Each catching position is calibrated to a specific type of dismissal chance — the captain places fielders specifically where the planned delivery is most likely to produce an edge. A field set for an inswing bowler has many leg-side fielders; a field set for an outswing bowler has many off-side slip fielders.
How Catching Configurations Change by Bowler
Catching configurations are specifically matched to each individual bowler: a fast outswing bowler (bowling at the off stump with the ball moving away) needs three slips and a gully — catches come from outside edges going to the off side; a left-arm spinner bowling over the wicket to a right-handed batsman needs slip on the off side and short leg on the leg side — the turn goes to slip while the top-spinner or arm ball goes to the short leg; and a leg-spinner bowling at a right-handed batsman needs fielders at slip (for the turning ball that the batsman edges) and at backward square leg (for the top-edged sweep or pull that the leg-spinner's trajectory can produce). The captain must reconfigure the field for each bowling change — the catching positions set for a fast bowler who has just been replaced by a spinner need to shift from the off-side slip cordon to the spin bowling catching configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Why are slip fielders positioned at different depths?
Slip fielders at different depths target different types of edges: first slip (shallowest) is positioned for the edge that travels at a lower angle and shorter distance — these are typically from full-pitched deliveries that the batsman plays close to their body, with the edge coming off the face of the bat at a shallow angle; second and third slip are positioned progressively deeper and wider for edges that travel at higher speed and wider angles — these come from short-pitched deliveries or outswing that the batsman reaches for, with the edge going at a wider, faster trajectory; and the keeper's position (directly behind the stumps) provides the catching reference for first slip's position — first slip is positioned so there is no gap between the keeper and first slip that a finer edge can fall into. The depth gradient means the slip cordon collectively covers the entire edge zone from very fine (just outside the keeper's reach) to square (at gully's level).
What is a 'catching ring' and how is it different from a slip cordon?
A catching ring is different from a slip cordon: the catching ring is all fielders positioned within 15-30 metres of the batsman in a wide arc — it encompasses slip cordon, gully, point, cover, midwicket, short leg, and other positions all in catching range simultaneously; the slip cordon is specifically the aligned collection of slip fielders behind the wicket on the off side — typically first, second, and sometimes third or fourth slip positioned in a diagonal line behind the wicket; the catching ring concept is used in coaching to describe the principle that the bowling team wants maximum catching coverage — any fielder within 25 metres who is positioned correctly can take a catch; and the slip cordon is specifically the edge-catching configuration while the catching ring includes all shorter-range catching positions. In match descriptions, 'aggressive catching ring' typically means the captain has placed many fielders close to the bat across all positions, not just the slip cordon.
Can the fielding team change catching positions without the captain's signal?
In practice, fielders sometimes adjust their catching position slightly without explicit captain instruction — based on the previous delivery's outcome or their own reading of the batsman's technique. However, significant position changes always require the captain's approval: major repositioning (moving from slip to cover, for example) requires the captain's signal and umpire awareness — the umpire must know the fielding configuration before the next delivery; the 11 fielders must be in position before the bowler begins their run-up; and unauthorized field changes (a fielder who moves to an uncommunicated position) can result in a Dead Ball call if the umpire judges the fielder's movement to be deceptive or not in the right position. Elite teams use standardised field-setting signals (the captain signals with arm movements that every fielder recognizes) to enable rapid configuration changes between deliveries.