If you are new to cricket, understanding where players stand on the field can feel overwhelming. This guide has cricket fielding positions explained in plain language, so you can follow any match with confidence. Whether you are watching the Indian Premier League, an Ashes Test, or a backyard game, knowing fielding positions makes cricket far more enjoyable.
Table of Contents
- The Cricket Field: A Quick Overview
- Cricket Fielding Positions Explained: The Key Positions You Need to Know
- Close to the Wicket (Infield)
- Mid-Range Positions
- Outfield (Boundary) Positions
- The Wicketkeeper: A Special Role
- How Captains Use Fielding Positions Tactically
- A Simple Diagram Guide
- Conclusion
The Cricket Field: A Quick Overview
A cricket field is a large oval or circular grass area. In the centre sits the pitch, a strip of hard ground where the bowler (the player who delivers the ball) runs in and the batter faces deliveries. The fielding team spreads across the field to stop runs and take catches.
The field is split into two halves based on the batter’s stance. For a right-handed batter:
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- Off side – the side facing the batter (in front and to their left as they look down the pitch)
- Leg side (or on side) – the side behind the batter’s legs (to their right)
Every position name relates to one of these two halves and its distance from the batter. Once you understand this, the whole map clicks into place.
Cricket Fielding Positions Explained: The Key Positions You Need to Know
There are around 30 named fielding positions in cricket, but only 11 players take the field at once. Captains choose which positions to use depending on tactics and the bowler’s style. Here are the most common ones, grouped by where they stand.
Close to the Wicket (Infield)
These fielders stand near the batter, aiming to catch edges or stop sharp singles. A single means the batters run one run between the wickets at each end of the pitch.
- Slip – stands behind and to the off side of the batter; catches edges from the bat
- Gully – wider than slip, on the off side; covers deflections and thick edges
- Short leg – very close on the leg side; a brave position that catches off pads (the protective leg pads batters wear)
- Silly mid-on and silly mid-off – dangerously close in front of the batter on either side; used to pressure defensive play
Mid-Range Positions
These fielders stand roughly halfway between the batter and the boundary (the rope marking the edge of the field).
- Mid-on – on the leg side, in front and to the left of the bowler
- Mid-off – on the off side, mirroring mid-on
- Square leg – directly to the leg side, level with the batter
- Point – directly to the off side, level with the batter; great for cutting shots
- Cover – between point and mid-off; one of the most athletic positions on the field
Outfield (Boundary) Positions
Outfielders stop big shots from reaching the boundary, which would score four runs automatically (or six if the ball clears the rope in the air).
- Fine leg – behind the batter on the leg side, near the boundary
- Third man – behind the batter on the off side, near the boundary
- Long on – deep on the leg side, behind mid-on; stops powerful lofted shots
- Long off – deep on the off side, behind mid-off; mirrors long on
- Deep square leg and deep cover – outfield versions of the mid-range positions listed above
The Wicketkeeper: A Special Role
Every fielding team has a wicketkeeper. This player crouches behind the batter’s stumps (the three wooden posts at each end of the pitch) and wears special gloves. The wicketkeeper catches deliveries that the batter misses, takes catches, and can stump a batter out (dismissing them when they step out of their crease, the marked safe zone in front of the stumps). The wicketkeeper always counts as one of the 11 fielders.
How Captains Use Fielding Positions Tactically
Understanding cricket fielding positions explained properly means seeing how captains use them as chess moves. A captain sets an attacking field with many slips and close catchers to take wickets. A defensive field pushes players to the boundary to save runs in the final overs of a limited-overs match.
Fast bowlers (who bowl at high speed) tend to need more slip fielders. Spin bowlers (who spin the ball to deceive batters) often use fielders like silly mid-on and short leg. Watching where the captain places fielders tells you exactly what plan they are executing.
A Simple Diagram Guide
Imagine a clock face laid flat over the oval field. The batter stands at the centre. Here is a rough guide to position locations for a right-handed batter:
| Position | Location on Field | Side |
|---|---|---|
| Slip | Behind batter, angled off side | Off side |
| Gully | Wider than slip, square | Off side |
| Point | Square, mid-distance | Off side |
| Cover | Between point and mid-off | Off side |
| Mid-off | Straight, in front | Off side |
| Mid-on | Straight, in front | Leg side |
| Square leg | Square, mid-distance | Leg side |
| Fine leg | Behind batter, angled | Leg side |
| Third man | Behind batter, angled | Off side |
Print this table or sketch the oval on paper and place each name. You will have a working diagram within minutes.
Conclusion
With cricket fielding positions explained clearly, you now have the knowledge to read a match like an informed fan. Start by identifying the slip cordon (the group of slip fielders) and the wicketkeeper in your next game. Then spot mid-on, mid-off, and cover. Within a few matches, you will recognise every position automatically and start appreciating the captain’s tactical thinking behind every field change. Cricket is a deeply strategic sport, and fielding positions are at the heart of that strategy.