If you are new to cricket, few things are more confusing than the commentary. “He’s got three slips and a gully in,” says the commentator, “with a short midwicket and a deep square leg.” To the beginner, it sounds like a foreign language. But cricket fielding positions are simply a map — once you learn the names and the logic behind them, you will read the game like a seasoned watcher, anticipate what the bowler is trying to do, and understand why captains make the moves they make.
This beginner’s guide to cricket fielding positions explains every major fielding position in cricket: where each fielder stands, what their job is, and when captains use them. We will cover the classic positions behind the wicket (slips, gully), the off-side ring (point, cover, mid-off), the leg-side positions (square leg, midwicket, fine leg), the boundary riders (third man, long-on, deep square leg), the difference between attacking and defensive fields, and the fielding restrictions that govern each format of the game. By the end, the commentator’s jargon will make complete sense.
Cricket Fielding Positions: First Principles of Field Organisation
Before the names, understand the geography. A cricket pitch is 22 yards long, and the field is divided conceptually into two halves by an imaginary line running through the middle of the pitch from the bowler’s end to the batter’s end:
- The off side is the half of the field facing the batter’s front — for a right-handed batter, that is the right-hand side as they face the bowler (the side of the field to the batter’s left as you watch on television from behind the bowler).
- The leg side (also called the on side) is the opposite half, behind the batter’s legs.
Cricket fielding positions are also described by their depth: close (near the bat, for catching), in the ring (about 25–30 yards out, saving the single), and on the boundary (on or near the rope, stopping fours and taking the high catches). The wicketkeeper stands behind the stumps at the batter’s end; everyone else is placed by the captain.
One more essential concept: a captain may place fielders anywhere, with only a few restrictions (no more than two fielders behind square on the leg side, and the format-specific fielding restrictions covered later). Every set of cricket fielding positions you see is a deliberate tactical choice.
Cricket Fielding Positions Behind the Wicket
Wicketkeeper
The one constant in every field. The wicketkeeper crouches behind the stumps at the batter’s end, wearing gloves and pads. Their jobs: take every ball the batter misses, attempt stumpings off spinners, run out batters with direct hits or quick gathers, and — crucially — take the catches that come off the edge. A great keeper, like the modern game’s best glovemen, can change matches; a poor one leaks byes and drops the chances that decide Test matches.
The Slips (First, Second, Third and Fourth Slip)
The slips are a cordon of catchers standing in a diagonal line behind the batter on the off side, designed to catch the thick or thin edges that fast bowlers induce. First slip stands closest to the keeper; second, third and sometimes fourth slip fan out wider. When you see a new ball swinging and three or four slips in place, the bowler is hunting wickets — edges fly fast and low, and the cordon is there to snaffle them. Slip catching is a specialist art: still head, soft hands, total concentration.
Gully
Standing wider and squarer than the slips — roughly at a 45-degree angle behind the batter on the off side — the gully takes the edges that fly squarer off the bat. It is a spectacular catching position: the ball arrives fast, often at chest or head height, and gully fielders need razor-sharp reflexes. You will see a gully in place whenever a quick bowler is attacking with the new ball.
Leg Slip and Leg Gully
Mirror images on the leg side: a leg slip stands behind the batter on the leg side for the glance or flick that takes the edge, and is most common when spinners are bowling to induce a bat-pad catch. Because of the law limiting fielders behind square on the leg side, you will rarely see more than one.
Off-Side Cricket Fielding Positions
Point
Standing square of the wicket on the off side, roughly 20–30 yards out. Point is one of the busiest cricket fielding positions in limited-overs cricket — the cut shot, one of the most common scoring strokes, goes straight there. A good point fielder saves 15–20 runs a match and needs a bullet throw; this is where teams hide their best athletes. “Backward point” is a squarer, slightly deeper variant.
Cover and Extra Cover
In front of square on the off side, between point and mid-off. The cover region is where the classic cover drive — cricket’s most beautiful shot — is played, so cover fielders need anticipation and a fast pick-up-and-throw. “Extra cover” is simply a slightly straighter version. In one-day cricket, you will often see both a cover and an extra cover patrolling this busy scoring zone.
Mid-Off
Straight-ish on the off side, about 25–30 yards from the bat, in line with the bowler’s follow-through. Mid-off is the bowler’s best friend against the drive: it stops the straight-driven single and takes the miscued lofted drive. When a captain wants to attack, mid-off comes up inside the ring to invite the risky drive; when defending, mid-off drops back to the boundary as “long-off”.
Third Man
Fine on the off side behind the batter, usually on the boundary in limited-overs cricket. Third man sweeps up the late cuts, the top-edged ramps and the accidental deflections — the “junk” runs. It looks like a boring position until a batter starts deliberately ramping the quicks, at which point third man becomes the most important fielder on the park. “Short third man” is the in-the-ring version used in Tests.
Leg-Side Cricket Fielding Positions
Square Leg
Square of the wicket on the leg side, in the ring. Square leg deals with the pull and the sweep — two of the most productive shots in modern cricket — and is consequently one of the most demanding positions: the ball arrives brutally fast off the pull shot, and the fielder needs courage as well as skill. “Deep square leg” is the boundary-riding version.
Midwicket
In front of square on the leg side, between square leg and mid-on. The midwicket region is the engine room of leg-side scoring — flicks, pulls and lofted drives all pass through here. In T20 cricket, “deep midwicket” on the boundary is arguably the single most important defensive position, because so many batters target the short leg-side boundary.
Mid-On
The leg-side equivalent of mid-off: straight-ish, in the ring, backing up the bowler. Mid-on stops the straight-driven single and takes the miscued flick. Like mid-off, it goes back to the boundary (“long-on”) when the captain is defending.
Fine Leg
Very fine on the leg side behind the batter — the mirror of third man. Fine leg takes the glanced tickles, the top-edged pulls and the accidental deflections off the pads. In limited-overs cricket, fine leg is almost always on the boundary (“deep fine leg”), because even a slight mis-glance races away for four. “Short fine leg” is the close-catching version used against spinners to snaffle the bat-pad.
Short Leg and Silly Mid-On / Silly Mid-Off
The brave (some would say foolhardy) close catchers. Short leg stands almost next to the batter on the leg side, wearing a helmet and shin guards, waiting for the bat-pad catch off the spinner. Silly mid-on and silly mid-off stand absurdly close on either side of the pitch. These cricket fielding positions exist for one reason: to catch the ball that pops up off bat and pad when a spinner is turning it sharply. They are thrilling to watch and genuinely dangerous to occupy.
Cricket Fielding Positions on the Boundary
When the field spreads, up to five or six fielders patrol the rope. The main boundary positions, moving around from the off side to the leg side, are: third man (fine, off side), deep point / deep backward point (square, off side), deep extra cover / deep cover (in front of square, off side), long-off (straight, off side), long-on (straight, leg side), deep midwicket (in front of square, leg side), deep square leg (square, leg side) and fine leg (fine, leg side).
The logic is simple geometry: protect the boundaries the batter is most likely to target. Against a known leg-side slogger, you will see deep midwicket, deep square leg and long-on all manned. Against a classical off-side player, the cover boundary gets the extra fielder. Reading which cricket fielding positions are occupied on the boundary tells you exactly what the captain fears.
Attacking vs Defensive Cricket Fielding Positions
This is where cricket fielding positions become genuinely tactical. An attacking field packs catchers around the bat — slips, gully, short leg, silly point — because the bowler is trying to take wickets. You see attacking fields with the new ball in Tests, when a spinner is turning it square, or when a T20 bowler needs a breakthrough.
A defensive field spreads fielders to the boundary to stop runs — the priority shifts from taking wickets to restricting scoring. You see defensive fields at the death in T20s and ODIs, when a well-set batter is going berserk, or when a captain is protecting a small total.
The great captains blend the two: even in a defensive T20 field, there is usually one catcher in place for the mishit. And the great batters exploit the blend — hitting over the in-field when it comes up, milking the gaps when it goes back. Watching this cat-and-mouse game is one of cricket’s deepest pleasures, and it is entirely a battle of cricket fielding positions.
This tactical dimension is part of what makes aggressive modern approaches so fascinating — our guide to what Bazball is shows how England’s ultra-attacking Test philosophy forces captains into defensive fields they would never previously have used in the longest format.
Cricket Fielding Positions: Fielding Restrictions by Format
The laws of cricket limit where fielders can stand at certain times, and these restrictions shape every limited-overs match:
Test Cricket
No format-specific restrictions beyond the universal laws: a maximum of two fielders behind square on the leg side, and the bowler obviously cannot field. Captains have complete freedom otherwise — which is why Test fields are the most varied and interesting, from seven slips to no slips at all.
One-Day Internationals (ODIs)
The 50-over game uses Powerplays: Powerplay 1 (overs 1–10) allows a maximum of two fielders outside the 30-yard circle; Powerplay 2 (overs 11–40) allows four outside; Powerplay 3 (overs 41–50) allows five outside. These restrictions force attacking fields early — which is why ODI openers can score so freely in the first ten overs — and allow defensive boundary-heavy fields at the death.
T20 Cricket
A single six-over Powerplay at the start of each innings allows only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle, which is why the first six overs of a T20 are such a boundary-fest. For the remaining 14 overs, a maximum of five fielders may be outside the circle. The Hundred, England’s 100-ball competition, uses similar principles — our guide to The Hundred rules and format explains its specific variations.
The Two-Behind-Square Rule
In all formats, no more than two fielders (excluding the wicketkeeper) may be positioned behind square on the leg side. This ancient law exists to outlaw the notorious Bodyline tactic of the 1930s, when England packed the leg side to intimidate Don Bradman’s Australia. It remains one of cricket’s most important safety regulations. The full text of the Laws of Cricket is maintained by the Marylebone Cricket Club at lords.org for anyone who wants to read the exact wording.
How to Read Cricket Fielding Positions: A Beginner’s Practical Guide
Here is a simple method for reading cricket fielding positions on television:
- Count the slips. Three or four slips plus a gully means the bowler is attacking with the new ball. No slips means limited-overs mode or a defensive Test field.
- Find the boundary riders. Five fielders on the rope means the batting side is on top; two or three means the bowling side is hunting wickets.
- Check the leg side. A packed leg side (short leg, square leg, deep square leg, fine leg, deep midwicket) means the bowler is targeting the pads or the batter is a known leg-side hitter.
- Watch what changes after each ball. Captains constantly nudge fielders — mid-off goes back, a slip comes out, fine leg goes finer. Each move is a message about what the bowler plans next.
- Notice the Powerplay. In white-ball cricket, the fielding restrictions dictate the first phase — use them to predict scoring patterns.
Within a few matches of practising this, you will find yourself predicting bowling plans before the bowler runs in. That is when cricket gets truly addictive.
Choosing the Right Equipment to Practise Fielding
Understanding cricket fielding positions is one thing; occupying them is another. If this guide has inspired you to start playing — village cricket in England is one of the great sporting experiences — you will need the basics: a bat sized to your height and strength, proper footwear, and for close catchers, protective equipment. Our detailed guide to the best cricket bat for beginners in the UK covers willow types, size charts and pricing, so your first purchase is an informed one.
Cricket Fielding Positions: Key Takeaways
- The field is split into the off side and the leg side (on side), with positions described as close, in the ring, or on the boundary.
- Behind the wicket: the wicketkeeper, the slips cordon (first to fourth slip), gully, and leg-side variants take edges and bat-pad chances.
- Key off-side cricket fielding positions: point, cover/extra cover, mid-off and third man patrol the scoring zones square and straight of the wicket.
- Key leg-side cricket fielding positions: square leg, midwicket, mid-on and fine leg — plus the brave close catchers (short leg, silly mid-on/off).
- Attacking fields pack catchers around the bat to take wickets; defensive fields spread to the boundary to save runs.
- ODIs and T20s use Powerplay fielding restrictions (only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle in the early overs); Tests have no format-specific restrictions.
- No more than two fielders may stand behind square on the leg side in any format — a legacy of the Bodyline controversy.
- Reading cricket fielding positions — counting slips, spotting boundary riders, watching mid-over adjustments — is the fastest way for a beginner to understand tactics.
Cricket Fielding Positions: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the basic cricket fielding positions every beginner should know?
Start with these ten: wicketkeeper, first slip, gully, point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, square leg and fine leg. These cover the main scoring and catching zones and appear in virtually every field setting. Once you know these, add third man, deep positions (long-on, long-off, deep square leg) and the close catchers (short leg, silly point) to complete the picture.
What is the difference between the off side and the leg side?
The off side is the half of the field in front of a right-handed batter as they face the bowler (to the batter’s left as seen on TV from behind the bowler); the leg side (or on side) is the half behind the batter’s legs. For left-handed batters the sides are mirrored. Fielding positions are always described relative to the striker’s stance.
Why do captains use slips?
Slips are catching positions designed to take the edges that fast bowlers induce, especially with a new ball that is swinging or seaming. Edges fly quickly behind the batter on the off side, so a cordon of two to four slips stands ready to catch them. More slips means a more attacking mindset — the captain is prioritising wickets over run-saving.
What are fielding restrictions in cricket?
In limited-overs cricket, the fielding side is restricted in how many fielders may stand outside the 30-yard circle during Powerplays — two in the first 10 overs of an ODI and the first 6 overs of a T20, relaxing later in the innings. These rules force attacking fields early and produce high-scoring starts. Test cricket has no Powerplay restrictions.
What is the 30-yard circle?
The 30-yard (27.4-metre) circle is marked on the field in limited-overs cricket and is the reference line for fielding restrictions. During Powerplays, only a set number of fielders may stand outside it, which compresses the field and encourages aggressive batting. You will see it as a white or painted ring on television coverage.
Which cricket fielding position is the hardest?
Slip catching demands the most specialised skill — total stillness, soft hands and the ability to react to edges travelling at high speed. Short leg is arguably the bravest, standing metres from the bat against spinners with only a helmet and pads for protection. Point and cover demand the best athleticism, with constant sprinting and bullet throws.
How many fielders are allowed on the boundary?
In T20s, a maximum of five fielders may be outside the 30-yard circle after the Powerplay; in ODIs, five are allowed in the final Powerplay (overs 41–50). In Test cricket there is no limit — a captain may place all nine outfield fielders on the boundary if they wish, though doing so concedes easy singles.
What does “third man” mean in cricket?
Third man is the fielding position fine on the off side behind the batter, usually on the boundary in limited-overs cricket. The fielder there stops late cuts, ramp shots and deflections. The quirky name is historical — the position was traditionally the “third” fielder behind the wicket after the wicketkeeper and long stop — but the job is thoroughly modern: sweeping up the runs batters manufacture behind square.
Conclusion: Mastering Cricket Fielding Positions
Cricket fielding positions are not trivia to memorise — they are the visible expression of the game’s tactics. Every slip added is a statement of intent; every fielder pushed to the boundary is a concession; every mid-over adjustment is a captain thinking two balls ahead. Learn the map laid out in this guide, practise reading fields using the five-step method above, and within a season you will watch cricket on an entirely different level — seeing the plans, the traps and the mind games that the casual viewer misses completely.
And when rain interrupts a match and the mathematics gets complicated, you will be ready for that too — our DLS method explained guide demystifies Duckworth-Lewis-Stern for beginners.