Cricket Fielding Positions: Do you know the difference between long off and silly mid-on? If not, then you’re in the right place! The fielding positions in cricket have a variety of different names, some of which sound quite strange! You’ll hear them mentioned all the time by the commentators when you’re watching a game, so it’s important that you get to know the difference between them all.
In this post I will take you through each fielding position and explain whereabouts on a cricket field they are, as well as giving you a few more details on the position such as what situations they are required in, how close they are to the bat, and the abilities that you’ll require if your captain chooses to put you in that position!
If you’re looking for a quick overview, the diagram below will give you a good idea of where each fielding position is on the field…
Diagram Showing Cricket Fielding Positions
This Diagram Of The Cricket Field Shows You Where Each Fielding Position Is
Before we get into the details of each position specifically, let’s run over the basic facts about the cricket field!
Basics of Fielding Positions in Cricket
In terms of fielding positions, I like to divide the cricket field into 3 parts:
The Close Catching Infield – This area contains the fielders that are the closest to the batsman. Everyone inside this ring will be about 15 yards away or closer! These are often specialist catching positions, with a bit less of a focus on saving runs! If you look at the diagram of the cricket field I included above, the close catching infield is represented by the smallest circle in the centre of the diagram.
The Inner Ring – This area contains the fielders that will usually be looking to stop the batsmen running singles. Fielders in this area will usually be somewhere up to 30 yards away from the batsman! If you’re fielding in the inner ring, make sure you’re getting yourself in a nice balanced position as the ball is bowled. You should be on your toes, ready to spring left or right in the direction of the ball if it is hit towards you. The inner ring is represented by the second smallest circle on the diagram above.
The Outfield – This zone contains all the other areas right up until the boundary on all sides of the wicket. Fielders placed in this zone will be there primarily to stop the batsman hitting the ball for boundaries. The outfield is represented by the largest circle in the diagram above.
If you’re not sure which side of the field the off side and the leg side are, then it may be worth clicking this link to read my post where I break down the difference between the two. To keep it simple though, the off side of the batsman will be the side of the field they are facing when they’re in their batting stance. The leg side is opposite of this, therefore it is the side of the field that is behind them when they’re in their stance.
Working out the Cricket Fielding Positions
Most of the positions are named roughly according to a system of polar coordinates…
One word (Leg, Cover, Mid-wicket) specifies the angle from the batsman, and is optionally preceded by an adjective describing the distance from the batsman (silly, short, deep or long).
- Leg refers to the Leg side which is the side of the batsman’s leg
- On refers to the On side which is batsman’s leg side too
- Off refers to the batsman’s off side which is the opposite of the leg side
Distances of the Cricket Fielding Positions from the batsman are described as:
- Silly is very close
- Short is quite close
- Mid is a mid point to the boundary
- Long and Deep are closer to the boundary
- The angle from the batsmen are described as:
Square is along an imaginary extension of the popping crease
- Backward behind square and the batsmen
- Forward in front of square and the batsmen
- Fine closer to an extension of an imaginary line along the middle of the pitch bisecting the stumps
- Wide further from an extension of an imaginary line along the middle of the pitch bisecting the stumps
List of Cricket Fielding Positions positions
- Wicket Keeper
- First Slip
- Second slip
- Third Slip
- Fly Slip
- Long Stop
- Third man
- Gully
- Deep Gully
- Silly Point
- Point
- Deep Point
- Cover Sweeper
- Cover Point
- Extra Cover
- Deep Extra Cover
- Silly Mid Off
- Mid Off
- Long Off
- Straight Hit
- Silly Mid On
- Mid On
- Long On
- Forward Short Leg
- Short Mid Wicket
- Mid Wicket
- Deep Mid Wicket
- Sweeper
- Short Square Leg
- Square Leg
- Deep Square Leg
- Leg Gully
- Long Leg
- Leg Slip
- Short Fine Leg
- Deep Fine Leg
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