Complete Cricket Fielding Positions Guide
Cricket has over 40 named fielding positions. This comprehensive guide covers every position — from slip to square leg to long-on — with descriptions of where each player stands and why.
How Fielding Positions Are Named
Cricket fielding positions use a consistent naming system based on: side (off side or leg side), proximity to the batter (short, square, mid, long), and angle (gully, backward point, cover, mid-off, mid-on). Understanding this system allows you to understand any fielding description. Off side is on the batter's bat-side; leg side is opposite. Short is close to the batter; long is near the boundary.
Close Catching Positions
- Slip (1st, 2nd, 3rd): stands behind and to the off side of the batter, catching edges
- Gully: stands wider than the slips, at roughly 45 degrees off side — covers cut shots
- Short leg: stands very close on the leg side — catches deflections off bat-and-pad
- Silly mid-on / silly mid-off: extremely close in front of the batter — used against spinners
- Leg slip: behind the batter on the leg side — catches fine deflections off the edge
Mid-Ground Positions
- Cover: mid-range off side — cuts off cover drives
- Point: square of the wicket on the off side — stops cut shots
- Square leg: square of the wicket on the leg side — stops pulls and sweeps
- Mid-on: near the pitch on the leg side — cuts off drives toward mid-on
- Mid-off: near the pitch on the off side — the bowler's end support
Outfield Positions
- Long-on: deep on the leg side — protects against the lofted drive toward mid-on
- Long-off: deep on the off side — protects against the lofted straight drive
- Deep square leg: boundary on the leg side — stops top-edged sweep and pull shots
- Fine leg: backward leg side boundary — catches top-edges off the hook shot
- Third man: backward of square on the off side — catches late cuts and edges past slip
Reading a Field Setting
When a commentator says a captain has 'three slips and a gully,' that means three fielders behind the batter on the off side (at different angles) and one fielder wider. If the captain adds 'a short leg and a silly mid-on,' they are targeting the leg side with close catchers against a spinner. Reading the field tells you the team's plan for each batter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the slip cordon in cricket?
The slip cordon is the row of fielders positioned behind the batter on the off side — first slip, second slip, third slip — angled to catch edges that travel behind square. The cordon typically has two to four fielders in Test cricket against pace bowling.
Why do some positions have 'silly' in their name?
Positions like silly mid-on and silly mid-off are named 'silly' because they are dangerously close to the batter — so close that a mistimed shot or thick edge could hit the fielder at high speed. The name reflects that only a brave or 'silly' player would stand there.
What does 'square' mean in cricket fielding positions?
Square means the fielder is positioned roughly perpendicular to the line between the two wickets — at a 90-degree angle from the pitch. Point is square on the off side; square leg is square on the leg side.