Cricket equipment – fielding positions part 1

Don your cricket equipment and take up your fielding position – here’s how

Fielding positions

You can field in the slips, at gully, at square leg or even at silly point. When a position is described as 'deep' or 'long' as in deep mid-wicket or long off then the fielder is usually placed right out on the boundary. Similarly a position prefixed as 'short' or 'silly', for example silly point means a fielder is placed in closer than a conventional point fielder would normally stand. Different positions require different types of cricket equipment.

Wicket keeper

The keeper stands behind the stumps, although further back if the bowler is quicker.  The wicket-keeper's major function is to stop deliveries that pass the batsman, but often he can also attempt to dismiss the batsman. The most common method is for him to catch a ball that has nicked the batsman's bat, called an edge, before it bounces.  The keeper can also stump the batsman by using the ball to remove the bails from the stumps if the batsman has come out of his crease during a delivery. Finally, when the ball is hit into the outfield, the keeper moves close to the stumps to catch the return throw from a fielder and, if possible, to run out a batsman.  Given that the wicket keeper is in the direct line of fire from the ball, it’s essential that his cricket equipment includes pads and keeper gloves.

Slips - catches win matches

A hat to keep the sun off the face is a piece of cricket equipment that the fielder in the slips will consider pretty important.  Many of the game’s catches will be taken by the slips and so reactions have to be sharp. Positioned on the off-side behind the wicket, first slip is alongside the wicket keeper, with second slip, third slip etc following in the same direction. First slip is normally about a foot or so behind the wicket keeper. This is because the ball flies faster off the edge when the ball goes finer.

Gully - another close catching position

The gully is just behind square of the wicket on the off side. The fielder in this position needs quick reactions, and well-fitting cricket shoes will be an important piece of cricket equipment to this player. Most chances that come in this area will be from forceful shots from the batsman that haven't been kept down. The ball is likely to be travelling very quickly so anyone fielding here has to be on their toes.

Point - You will usually find the best fielder in the team here.

They'll be located square of the wicket on the off-side and have the responsibility of stopping forceful shots played off the back foot like the square cut. It's a very busy part of the cricket pitch to be fielding at, and the player will either be at backward or silly point.  Silly point isn’t a great place to be, and is most commonly used when a spin bowler is in action.

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