Cricket Terminology – Fielding Positions

Cricket Terminology – Fielding Positions

Cricket Terminology – Fielding Positions. Fielding positions are an important essential part of a cricket match and, if the captain places the players in the correct places, it can be key to the final outcome.

Terminology: Fielding

On and Off:

All the positions in cricket can be divided into two positions – on and off positions. The ‘On’ position is on the right side of the batsman when viewed towards the bowler’s end. Similarly, the Offside is the position on the left side of the batsman.

Slips:

The fielders who stand behind the batsman at an angle are in a position called the slips. They are so called because the players are placed there to catch the ball that ‘slipped’ the batsman.

Slip positions:

First Slip

Second Slip

Third Slip

Leg Slip: For a Right Handed batsman, if the slip stands to the right of the wicketkeeper and not on the left, he is named as leg slip.

Fly Slip: A fly slip is a player placed far away from the batsman almost near the 30-yard circle. The position is so named because the fielder stands where the second pitch is kept covered.

Cover Point:

Extra Cover: If the fielder stands a little bit wider, he becomes the extra cover.

Deep Cover: If the fielder stands near the boundary line, he is termed as deep cover.

Deep Extra Cover: If the extra cover player is placed in a position where he stands deep, he is known as a deep extra cover.

Square: It refers to all the positions on the ground that are at a 90-degree angle to the batsman.

Deep square leg: These fielders are placed deeper (towards the boundary line) in line with the square leg.

Short Backward square leg: The backward square leg is almost similar to the square leg but is placed a bit behind the perpendicular line of the batsman.

Deep Backward Square Leg: They are positioned in line with the short backward square leg. The difference is that they are placed near the boundary line.

Silly point: They are so called because of the danger of getting hit by a strong stroke from the batsman.

Silly mid-on: The position which is called the silly position is midway between the pitch and the side.

Silly mid-off: It is the position that is halfway between the two ends of the pitch and is towards the offside.

Midwicket: If the player is positioned in the center line of the mid-on and the square leg, he is called a mid-wicket fielder.

Fine leg: The fine leg fielder is asked to stand behind the keeper near the boundary line to stop the balls that have been hit fine.

Short fine leg: It refers to those players who are positioned in line with the fine leg but near the 30-yard circle.

Mid positions:

Mid-Off: This position is the closest to the bowler on the ‘off’ side of the pitch.

Short mid-off: It is almost similar to mid-off but is comparatively closer to the batsman.

Mid-on: They are the closest to the bowler on the leg side of the pitch.

Long positions:

Long on: They are in line with the mid-on but are stationed near the boundary lines.

Long off: In the same way as Long on, they are in line with the mid-off and are stationed close to the boundary lines.

Other important positions:

Wicketkeeper: Player who is positioned right behind the wickets.

Point: They are placed at a perpendicular line to the batsman on the ‘offside’ of the pitch. 

Backward Point: If the point stands behind the lines, it is termed the backward point.

Third Man: It refers to the player chose to stand behind the keeper on the offside near the boundary lines.

Gully: It is the space between the third/fourth slip and the point which is  narrow and thus gets its name as ‘gully.’