All Cricket Fielding Positions: A Visual Guide to Every Position
Cricket has more fielding positions than almost any other team sport — from slip to fine leg, cover to deep midwicket. This guide names and explains every position, how they are set for different bowling types, and the thinking behind field placement.
In cricket, the captain and bowler jointly decide where to place the nine fielders. The positions are not fixed like in football — they change ball by ball, innings by innings, and batsman by batsman. Understanding fielding positions is key to understanding cricket's tactical depth.
On Side vs Off Side
The cricket field is divided into two halves: the off side (to the batsman's right for a right-hander) and the on side or leg side (to the batsman's left). When facing the bowler, the off side is the side of the stumps the bat is not resting against. Positions are named by which side they occupy and how deep they are.
Close Catching Positions (Off Side)
Slip (1st, 2nd, 3rd slip): positioned behind the bat and off side for catches off edges. Gully: wider and slightly squarer than slip, for thicker edges. Point: square on the off side, for cuts. Cover point: between point and the covers, for drives and cuts. Cover: straighter and deeper, for off-side drives.
Close Positions (On Side)
Fine leg: behind square on the leg side, near the boundary. Square leg: square on the leg side, level with the batsman. Mid-on: near the pitch on the leg side. Mid-wicket: between square leg and mid-on. Short fine leg, short square leg, and leg slip are close catching positions on the on side.
Straight Positions
Mid-off: fielder on the off side, roughly in front of the bowler's end. Mid-on: fielder on the leg side, roughly in front of the non-striker's end. Both are positioned to cut off straight drives. A 'mid-off and mid-on up' means these fielders are saving ones (stopping easy singles) at the expense of boundary protection.
Deep Positions
Any position prefixed with 'deep' or 'long' is near the boundary. Deep square leg, long on, long off, deep cover, fine leg — these are boundary protection positions used in T20 and ODI cricket during powerplay restrictions end and at the death. Captains balance attack (close fielders for catches) vs defence (boundary riders) based on the match situation.
Field Settings for Different Bowling Types
Fast bowlers typically use slip, gully, and a third man (fine) on the off side. Spin bowlers use more catchers in the close positions square of the wicket — short mid-wicket, silly mid-off, and slip. The field changes when a left-hander faces — everything mirrors because the off and on sides swap relative to the bowler's angle.
Frequently asked questions
How many fielders are on a cricket team?
A fielding team has 11 players. The wicketkeeper is always behind the stumps, and the captain places the remaining 10 fielders in any positions they choose within the ICC's fielding restriction rules.
What is the difference between slip and gully?
Slip fielders stand behind the bat in a line on the off side (1st slip closest to the wicketkeeper). Gully stands wider and squarer than slip, catching thick edges and cuts that pass the slip cordon.
What does 'fine' mean in a fielding position name?
'Fine' means behind square — closer to the batting end boundary. Fine leg and fine third man are behind the batsman's line, at angles that intercept glances and deflections.