Cricket Fielding Positions — Every Position on the Field Explained
Every cricket fielding position explained — slip, gully, point, cover, mid-wicket, fine leg, square leg and more. Where they stand, what they are designed to catch, and how to read a field placement.
Cricket has over 30 named fielding positions, more than any other team sport. Each position has a specific purpose — designed to catch a particular type of shot, block a scoring zone, or apply psychological pressure on the batter. Understanding fielding positions transforms how you watch a match: instead of seeing 11 players standing around, you see a strategic formation.
Behind the Batter — The Slip Cordon
First Slip stands behind and to the batter's off side — catches outside edges going toward gully. Second Slip stands wider — catches edges flying wider off the bat. Third Slip is wider still. Gully stands square on the off side — catches thick inside edges or cut shots hit too high. Leg Slip mirrors first slip on the leg side — catches edges to fine leg. Silly Point / Short Leg stand very close (3-4 metres) in front of the batter on off and leg side — designed for bat-pad catches off spin.
Square to the Wicket
Point stands 25-30 metres away on the off side, square of the batter's crease — for cut shots. Cover Point stands between point and extra cover — a general off-side position. Extra Cover stands wider of cover, halfway between cover and mid-off — catches drives hit too straight. Mid-Off stands behind the bowler on the off side at 35-40 metres — for straight-driven shots. Mid-On mirrors mid-off on the leg side. Square Leg stands level with the batter on the leg side — for pulls, sweeps, and flicks.
Behind the Wicket
Fine Leg stands at 45 degrees behind square on the leg side — catches glances and pulls that go fine. Deep Fine Leg stands at the boundary in the same position. Third Man stands at 45 degrees behind square on the off side — catches nicks and glances backward. Long Leg / Long On / Long Off are all deep boundary riders used in limited-overs cricket to protect against big shots.
Close Catching Positions
Silly Mid-On and Silly Mid-Off stand very close to the batter in front — used to pressurise a defensive batter by making every stroke risky. Short Mid-Wicket stands closer than normal mid-wicket — for catches off top edges. All close catchers face real physical risk from the ball travelling at pace — wearing helmets is now standard for these positions.
Frequently asked questions
Why are some positions described as 'deep' or 'short'?
'Deep' means at or near the boundary (25-70 metres from the bat). 'Short' means closer to the batter than the standard position (typically 10-20 metres). 'Fine' means behind the batter toward the wicketkeeper side. 'Square' means level with the batter's crease.
How many fielders can stand on the leg side?
Law 28 restricts leg-side fielders to a maximum of 5 (including the wicketkeeper). If more than 5 fielders are on the leg side when the ball is bowled, it is a no-ball.
What is a 'sweeper' in fielding?
A sweeper is a boundary fielder positioned between two attacking positions — their role is to cut off fours by covering a wide arc of the boundary rather than catching balls that come directly to them. Sweeper cover and sweeper fine leg are common death-over fielding positions.