Fielding Positions Inside the 30-Yard Circle Explained
A complete guide to the fielding positions within the 30-yard circle in cricket — gully, point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, square leg, short leg, silly mid-on, leg slip — including exact placement relative to the batsman, which deliveries each position is designed for, and how field changes during different match phases.
The 30-Yard Circle and the Infield
The 30-yard circle (its radius measured from the centre of the pitch at each end) divides the cricket field into the infield and the outfield. Fielders inside the circle must be positioned where they can intercept shots hit in front of and behind the batsman's crease — the most common scoring zones in all formats. The number of fielders permitted inside the circle varies by format and match phase: in the ODI powerplay, only 2 fielders may be outside (meaning 8 are inside); in the non-powerplay overs, up to 5 may be outside (meaning 5 are inside).
The Off-Side Infield Positions
Moving clockwise from behind the wicket on the off side: slip (directly behind the wicketkeeper, angled for edges off pace or spin); gully (further to the off side, squarer than slip, positioned for thick edges and cut shots); point (square of the wicket on the off side, approximately 90 degrees from the batsman — catches horizontal-bat cut shots); cover-point (between point and cover, a deep infield catching and running position); cover (straighter than cover-point, toward the bowler's end on the off side — intercepts drives through the off side); and extra cover (between cover and mid-off, a gap-plugging position on good batting tracks).
Mid-off is positioned approximately 45 degrees from the bowler's end on the off side, covering the straight drive and the full-length outswinger driven through mid-off. This is often where the captain fields in Test cricket — centrally positioned to communicate with both bowler and wicketkeeper, and close enough to the action to respond to dropped catches or fielding decisions. The position covers the most common boundary-hitting zone in limited-overs cricket.
The Leg-Side Infield Positions
On the leg side: fine leg (behind the batsman on the leg side, deep — not in the 30-yard circle but the closest outfield position); square leg (90 degrees on the leg side, square of the stumps — catches pull shots and intercepts hits square on the leg side); midwicket (between square leg and mid-on, covering the flick and horizontal bat shots to the leg side); mid-on (mirror image of mid-off on the leg side, approximately 45 degrees from the bowling end — covers the on-drive); and mid-wicket deep (halfway between midwicket and the boundary on the leg side, also called mid-on deep in some notations).
How Field Changes Work Tactically
Captains shift infield positions primarily in response to: the batsman's scoring patterns (if they consistently hit to midwicket, move the midwicket fielder finer); the bowler's line (an outswing bowler needs slips; an inswing bowler needs a mid-on and no slip); and the match situation (chasing runs requires fewer slips, more boundary-saving positions). T20 captains typically change 3-4 fielding positions between overs, constantly responding to the batsmen's scoring zones revealed by the previous over's results.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between slip and gully?
Slip is positioned directly behind the wicketkeeper, in line with the stumps and extending outward — it catches outside edges from off-side deliveries. Gully is positioned much squarer (more toward point), typically at 45-60 degrees from the wicketkeeper, and catches thicker outside edges, cut shots that don't reach the boundary, and top edges from aggressive shots. A slip is catching the finer edge; a gully is catching the thicker, squarer edge.
What is the leg gully position?
Leg gully (also called leg slip in some naming conventions) is a catching position on the leg side behind the wicketkeeper — mirroring gully's position but on the leg side. It catches edges off deliveries aimed at or outside the leg stump, and glances that take the inside edge to the leg side. Leg gully is used primarily against leg-spin bowling targeting the leg stump, or for in-swing deliveries where an inside edge behind square is a likely dismissal route.
How many fielders can a captain place on the leg side?
Under the Laws of Cricket, no more than 2 fielders may be positioned behind square leg on the leg side at the moment the ball is delivered. This law exists to prevent the fielding team from placing all fielders on the leg side (a 'leg-side trap') and bowling exclusively at the batsman's body — a tactic that was prevalent in the 1932-33 Bodyline Ashes series and was subsequently outlawed. Breaching the leg-side fielder limit results in the delivery being called a no-ball.