Cricket Fielding Positions Overview
A complete guide to all fielding positions in cricket — on and off side, infield and outfield, and how positions are named relative to the batter's stance.
How Fielding Positions Are Named
Cricket fielding positions are named relative to the batter's stance. The off side is to the right of a right-handed batter (who faces the bowler); the on side (or leg side) is to the left. Positions closer to the batter are 'short'; those near the boundary are 'deep' or 'fine' depending on their angle.
Key Zones and Positions
| Zone | Positions |
|---|---|
| Behind the wicket (off side) | First slip, second slip, third slip, gully, point |
| Square of the wicket (off side) | Cover point, extra cover, mid-off |
| Behind the wicket (leg side) | Fine leg, square leg, leg slip |
| Square (leg side) | Mid-on, mid-wicket, midwicket |
| Straight (both sides) | Mid-off, mid-on, straight mid-wicket |
Slip Cordon
The slip cordon stands to the off side behind the wicketkeeper. First slip stands closest to the keeper; second slip is next, then third slip, and sometimes a fourth slip. Gully stands wider and squarer than third slip, catching edges that fly wide. The slip cordon is the primary catching arc for outswing and seam bowling.
Infield vs Outfield Positions
- Infield (inner ring): mid-off, mid-on, cover, point, square leg, mid-wicket — within 30 yards
- Outfield (boundary positions): fine leg, third man, long-off, long-on, deep cover, deep square — near the rope
- Short positions: short leg, silly mid-on, silly mid-off, forward short leg — very close to the batter, high-risk catching
Unusual Named Positions
- Silly mid-on and silly mid-off — close-in catchers on the on and off sides
- Leg slip — behind the wicket on the leg side, catching deflections off the pad
- Cow corner — deep mid-wicket/long-on area, named after the position's exposure to slog shots
- Fly slip — a modified slip position behind and wider than gully, set for angled cuts
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between point and cover point?
Point is square of the wicket on the off side — directly beside the batter. Cover point is forward of square, between point and mid-off. Cover point fields the cut shot; point also covers the cut but from a squarer angle.
What does 'on side' and 'off side' mean in cricket?
The off side is the side of the field to the right of a right-handed batter — the side the batter's bat face swings away from. The on side (leg side) is to the batter's left. For a left-handed batter, these are reversed.