The Slip Cordon: Fielding at First, Second and Third Slip
How slip fielding works in cricket — the cordon's setup, reaction times required, how fielders position themselves for different bowlers, and the great slip catchers in cricket history.
The slip cordon is the arc of fielders positioned behind and to the off-side of the wicketkeeper to catch edges from the bat. In Test cricket, most teams use 2-4 slip fielders when bowling with the new ball or to right-handed batsmen on helpful surfaces. Slip catching is considered the most technically demanding fielding skill: a ball arrives from 20 metres having been deflected at unpredictable angles and at speeds of 100-150 km/h, requiring a reaction time of under 200 milliseconds from initial deflection.
Positioning and Setup
Slip fielders set their stance with feet shoulder-width apart, weight forward on the balls of the feet, hands relaxed at knee height (not reached out), eyes level. The 'soft hands' principle — allowing the ball to come to the hands rather than reaching hard at it — reduces the chance of the ball bouncing out on impact. Positioning relative to the wicketkeeper varies by bowler's pace: faster bowlers require slips to stand deeper; the ball from a 140 km/h bowler arrives at slip roughly 0.2 seconds after the edge, vs 0.3 seconds from a 120 km/h bowler.
Great Slip Fielders
- Mark Taylor: The Australian captain and first slip is considered among the best slip fielders ever. He took 157 Test catches in the slip cordon, holding the Australian record for many years.
- Rahul Dravid: Despite not being a natural athlete, Dravid worked obsessively on his slip catching technique and became India's most reliable slip fielder for over a decade.
- Ricky Ponting: Excellent in the slips, combining his natural athleticism with reliable hands for catches at first and second slip.
- Mark Boucher: Keeping wicket in 146 Tests, Boucher stands as one of the finest second-slip fielders among all wicketkeepers given the angles of edges to the keeper.
Frequently asked questions
How many slip fielders does a team normally use?
The number of slip fielders depends on conditions, the bowler, and the match situation. With a new ball in helpful seam or swing conditions, a team might set 3-4 slips. In dry, flat conditions unfavourable to swing, teams might use only 1-2 slips or none at all. T20 cricket rarely uses more than 1 slip and often none. In Test cricket, the first 10-15 overs with a new ball typically sees 2-3 slips as standard.
What is a gully in cricket?
Gully is a fielding position located between point and the slips, roughly squarish behind the batsman's off side. Like a fourth slip but positioned at a wider angle, gully catches balls that are edged wider and lower than a conventional slip catch, particularly cuts from short-pitched deliveries. Gully is typically used alongside 1-2 slips rather than as a replacement for them. A 'leg gully' — the mirror position on the leg side — is used occasionally for short-pitched bowling attacks.