The Leg Side Trap: Setting Up Catches on the On Side
How fielding captains set leg-side traps — configurations that invite batsmen to play to the on side and create catching opportunities. The field placements involved in a leg-side trap, which bowling types create the best conditions for leg-side catching, how the leg-before-wicket law interacts with leg-side trap bowling, and why leg-side fielding traps are harder to set successfully than off-side traps.
What a Leg Side Trap Is
A leg-side trap is a field placement designed to catch a batsman who plays to the leg side — a combination of fielders placed in positions that cover the on-side hitting and deflection zones, while bowling lines and lengths that induce leg-side shots. Common leg-side trap configurations: square leg and fine leg in catching positions (for batsmen who glance or sweep), mid-wicket in a deeper catching position (for batsmen who flick or clip), and sometimes a short mid-wicket or 'bat-pad' position in the leg-side ring. The trap is successful when the bowler induces the batsman into a leg-side shot and the ball finds the catching fielder.
Bowling Configurations for Leg Traps
The most effective leg-side traps arise from bowling configurations that naturally produce leg-side shots. Inswing bowling: a ball that swings from off to leg late in its trajectory will be naturally angled toward the leg side; the batsman who attempts to play it through the leg side risks a thin edge to leg-side catchers or a mis-hit to a fielder in the on-side ring. Spin bowling into the right-hander's body: an off-spinner or left-arm spinner bowling on a full length into the batsman's body produces leg-side deflection opportunities. Short-pitched bowling aimed at the body: forcing the pull shot creates the mid-wicket or square leg catching opportunity. The trap is most effective when the bowling line genuinely makes leg-side play the natural response, rather than inducing an unnecessary shot.
Leg vs Off Side Traps: Why Leg is Harder
Off-side traps are generally easier to set and execute than leg-side traps for two structural reasons. First, the Law of Cricket: the LBW law has restrictions when the ball pitches outside leg stump — a delivery that pitches outside leg stump cannot be given LBW regardless of whether it would hit the stumps. This means leg-side bowling carries less LBW pressure on batsmen, allowing them to play at deliveries they can deflect or miss without LBW danger. Off-side bowling can produce LBW, increasing pressure. Second, field placement restrictions: the Laws restrict leg-side field placements (no more than 2 fielders behind square on the leg side at any time), which limits how many catchers can be placed in the leg-side trap configuration. Off-side has no equivalent restriction, allowing captains to set more comprehensive off-side catching configurations.
Frequently asked questions
What is 'round the wicket' bowling and how does it create leg-side traps?
Bowling 'round the wicket' means the bowler delivers the ball from the side of the crease that places them closer to the stumps from the batsman's perspective — for a right-arm bowler, round the wicket means the ball comes from the angle of the leg side. This angle pushes the ball into the right-handed batsman's body (rather than across the body as in 'over the wicket'), creating naturally tight leg-side line. Left-arm bowlers bowling round the wicket to right-handed batsmen is a common tactic: the angle produces movement across the batsman toward the off stump (equivalent to an off-spinner's angle), but the ball that doesn't move or moves the other way presses into the batsman's body and produces leg-side shots. Round-the-wicket angles are an important part of leg-side trap creation because they change the batsman's natural shot direction.
What is the leg-side restriction rule in cricket fielding?
The Laws of Cricket (Law 28.4) restrict the number of fielders that can be placed on the leg side behind the popping crease (i.e., behind square of the wicket on the leg side). The restriction is: no more than 2 fielders behind square on the leg side at the moment the ball is bowled. This restriction was introduced to prevent captains from packing the leg side with catchers, which would make leg-side deliveries essentially impossible to score from (every deflection would find a fielder). The restriction forces captains to choose carefully which leg-side positions to occupy. There is no equivalent restriction on the off side — captains can place any number of fielders in off-side positions, which partially explains why off-side traps can be more comprehensive than leg-side traps.
How does a batsman avoid a leg-side trap?
Batsmen counter leg-side traps through several approaches. Playing with a straight bat: directing the ball back down the pitch or to the off side, denying the leg-side fielders the opportunity to take catches. Adjusting batting line: moving the guard position (standing outside the off stump crease, for example) to give more space for off-side play, making the leg-side bowling line less effective. Using footwork: stepping to the pitch of the ball to play a straight or off-side shot before the ball moves into the leg-side trap zone. Refusing the bait: leaving deliveries on leg stump that would naturally produce a leg-side shot, forcing the bowling attack to change tactics. The most effective counter is often the simplest: refusing to play to the fielders, forcing the captain to change their plan.