Cricket Fielding Positions Explained: Slip, Gully, Point and More
A guide to the main fielding positions in cricket, from slip and gully to cover, mid-wicket and fine leg, and why captains place fielders where they do.
Fielding positions in cricket have colourful names that can baffle newcomers. Slip, gully, silly mid-off and fine leg all describe where a fielder stands relative to the batter. Learning them makes commentary far easier to follow and reveals the plans captains and bowlers are setting. This guide covers the main positions and the logic behind them.
The basics: off side and leg side
The field is divided by an imaginary line running down the pitch. The side the batter faces when taking their stance is the off side. The side behind the batter is the leg side, also called the on side. For a left-hander everything is mirrored compared with a right-hander. Positions are named in relation to this, so the same spot is on different sides of the ground for left and right-handers.
The terms square, forward and behind refer to position relative to the batter. Square is level with the batter’s crease, forward is towards the bowler, and behind is towards the wicketkeeper. Adjectives such as short, silly, deep and fine describe how close or far a fielder is, or how fine the angle is.
Close catching positions on the off side
- Wicketkeeper: stands behind the stumps and is the only player allowed to wear gloves and external leg guards.
- First, second and third slip: stand in a line to the keeper’s off-side, ready for edges.
- Gully: further round than the slips, at a wider angle, catching thick edges.
- Short third man: a catching position behind square on the off side, used for fine edges.
- Point: square of the wicket on the off side, close to the batter.
Other off-side positions
- Cover point and cover: in front of square on the off side, saving drives.
- Extra cover: between cover and mid-off.
- Mid-off: in front of the batter, to the bowler’s left in the case of a right-handed batter, often positioned straight to stop drives.
- Third man: deep behind square on the off side, saving late cuts and edges.
- Sweeper: a deep fielder who covers a wide arc on the boundary.
Leg-side positions
- Square leg: level with the batter on the leg side, at a distance that varies from close to deep.
- Mid-wicket: in front of square on the leg side.
- Mid-on: in front of the batter, to the bowler’s right in the case of a right-handed batter.
- Fine leg: behind square on the leg side, saving glances and flicks.
- Backward square leg: slightly behind square.
- Deep mid-wicket and long-on: boundary positions that guard against lofted hits.
Under the Laws, no more than two fielders may be behind square on the leg side at the moment the ball is bowled. This rule has been in place for many years, and umpires watch for it carefully.
Short and silly positions
Silly point, silly mid-on and silly mid-off are very close to the bat, usually within a few feet, and are mostly used against spin. Short leg and leg slip are leg-side catching positions. Fielders in these spots often wear helmets and shin guards for protection.
Boundary fielders
Long-off, long-on, deep cover, deep point, deep square leg and deep fine leg are among positions near the boundary. They allow captains to protect against big hits when batters are attacking. In limited-overs cricket, the number of fielders allowed outside the circle is regulated, as covered in our powerplay guide.
Why captains set fields
Field settings combine attack and defence. A captain looking for wickets will place several close catchers around the bat, especially against a new batter or on a pitch offering turn or seam. A captain protecting a total will push fielders back to the boundary and cut off singles. The bowler’s plan matters too: an off-spinner may bowl with fielders at short leg, while a fast bowler targeting the stumps may use a straighter field.
Fields change over the course of an innings. Early on in a Test, slips and gully are usual; late in a limited-overs innings, fielders are often stationed to block yorkers and slower balls. Watching how fielders are moved between overs is one of the best ways to understand a team’s thinking.
Quick tip for fans
When you watch a match, identify the batter’s handedness first, then work out where the off side lies. Once you have that reference, positions on the field become much easier to place.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between off side and leg side?
The off side is the half of the field the batter faces when in their stance; the leg side is the half behind them. Left and right-handed batters have opposite sides.
How many fielders can be behind square on the leg side?
A maximum of two fielders may be positioned behind square on the leg side when the ball is bowled.
What is a slip fielder?
A slip stands beside the wicketkeeper on the off side, ready to catch edges from the batter.