The Slip Cordon: Setting Up for Catches Behind the Wicket

When a fast bowler runs in on a helpful pitch, three or four fielders stand in a curved arc behind the bat on the off side. This is the slip cordon, and catching in it is a craft.

Positions in the Cordon

First slip stands closest to the wicketkeeper, second slip next, then third slip. Gully positions at a wider angle for thicker edges and drives.

The number of slips depends on conditions. In England on a cloudy morning with a new ball, captains sometimes post four slips and a gully, accepting boundary risk for catching opportunities.

Skills Required

Slip fielders must remain perfectly still until the ball is released. Premature movement reduces reaction time. Hands should be relaxed with fingers pointing downward for low catches.

The key skill is watching the bat rather than the ball. The edge shape and timing tells a slip fielder where the ball will go before it arrives.

Great Slip Fielders

Rahul Dravid took 210 catches in Tests, many at first slip. His technique — quiet feet, clean hands, reading edges — made him one of India's finest fielders in any era.

Mark Taylor of Australia was another outstanding slip fielder, particularly comfortable with catches above waist height. Australian slip cordons of the late 1990s were considered the best in the world.