Cricket commentary is full of mysterious phrases: "silly mid-off," "third man," "deep square leg." To newcomers, fielding positions sound like a secret code. They are not — they are a logical map of the field, and once you learn the system, you will read the game far better. Here is the complete guide.

First, the Basics: Off Side and Leg Side

Everything in fielding starts from the batter's perspective. For a right-handed batter:

  • The off side is the side facing the batter (cover, point, third man).
  • The leg side (or on side) is behind the batter (square leg, fine leg, midwicket).

Fielding positions are named by a simple convention: how far from the batter (silly, short, or deep) + the angle (mid-off, cover, midwicket…) — so "short leg" is close in on the leg side, and "deep midwicket" is near the boundary in the same direction.

The Close Catchers

These fielders stand near the bat, waiting for edges and mistimed shots:

  • Slips (first, second, third, sometimes fourth): a diagonal line behind the batter on the off side, ready for edges off fast bowlers. Slip catching is a specialist art.
  • Gully: between the slips and point, for thicker edges.
  • Leg slip: the rare equivalent on the leg side.
  • Silly point, silly mid-off, silly mid-on, short leg: "silly" because standing that close to the bat looks dangerous — and it is. These positions exist to catch bat-pad chances off spinners.

The Infield Ring

Roughly 20–30 metres from the bat, the infielders stop singles and create pressure:

  • Point and cover / extra cover: on the off side, cutting off the batter's favourite scoring shots.
  • Mid-off and mid-on: straighter, on either side of the bowler.
  • Midwicket: on the leg side, one of the busiest positions in the game.
  • Square leg: squarer on the leg side, for flicks and glances.

In limited-overs cricket, only a set number of fielders may stand outside the 30-yard circle during certain phases — which is why the infield ring matters so much.

The Outfield

Near the boundary rope, these fielders prevent fours and take catches from lofted shots:

  • Third man and fine leg: behind the wicket on off and leg sides, for deflections and glances.
  • Deep point, deep cover, long-off, long-on: the off-side boundary riders.
  • Deep midwicket and deep square leg: the leg-side boundary riders.

Fast, athletic boundary riders with strong throwing arms are worth their weight in gold in modern cricket.

The Wicketkeeper

Standing directly behind the stumps, the keeper is involved in every ball: catching what the batter misses, stumping batters who step out to spinners, and running out careless runners. Against fast bowlers they stand far back; against spinners they come up to the stumps. It is the most specialised — and most demanding — fielding position.

Fielding Restrictions in Limited-Overs Cricket

White-ball cricket limits where fielders can stand, to keep the contest between bat and ball fair:

  • In ODIs, powerplay rules restrict how many fielders may be outside the 30-yard circle in phases across the innings, with a maximum of five fielders on the leg side at any time.
  • In T20s, only two fielders may be outside the circle during the six-over powerplay.

These rules shape entire strategies — captains attack with the field up early, then spread it to defend later.

How Captains Build a Field

Setting a field is tactical chess. An attacking field packs catchers around the bat — slips, gully, short leg — inviting the batter to take risks. A defensive field spreads players to the boundary to save runs. Captains constantly adjust: a batter who keeps flicking through midwicket will soon find a fielder waiting there; a tailender facing a bouncer barrage will find the leg-side stacked.

Watch the field change between balls and you are watching the captain think in real time — and that is one of cricket's deepest pleasures.

Learning the Map

You do not need to memorise every position at once. Start with the big ones — slips, point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, square leg, fine leg, third man — and the rest will fall into place as you watch. Soon those strange phrases will feel like old friends.