ALL FEILDING POSITIONS IN CRICKET AND THE MOST IMPORTANT FIELDING POSITION AMONG THEM

There are numerous fielding positions in cricket and most of these positions are unknown to most people but knowing all field positions is important for both players and spectators. Spectators must know the fielding positions if they wish to understand and enjoy the game deeply. It is very important to know the field positions if you are listening to the commentary on the radio or if you are reading through commentary in apps like cricbuzz, sportskeeda, etc 

If you are a player then you must know all the Feilding positions otherwise communication with team members and captain will be very difficult. Even though there are 11 players in a team only 9 field positions can be occupied by the team at a time. one player in the remaining two players will be the wicketkeeper and the other one will be the bowler.

Before knowing the fielding positions you must know some basic terms used in cricket.

BASIC FIELDING TERMS USED IN CRICKET

1.OUTFIELD: It is the area of field of play further from the batsman than the infield. It is the area between the 30-yard circle and the boundary.

2.INFIELD: It is the area within the 30-yard circle but does not include the area very close to the batsman. 

3.THE CLOSE CATCHING INFIELD: This is the area nearest to the batsman. Fielders will be placed within the 15-yard circle. These positions are occupied by specialist catchers.

4.LEG SIDE: It is also called onside. It is the side behind the batsman when he stands to face the ball or it can be said as the area behind the batsman's butt.

5.OFFSIDE: the side in front of the batsman while facing the ball.

6.SILLY:  A field  position very close to the batsman

7.SHORT: A field position quite close to the batsman

8.MID: A field position that is midpoint to the boundary

9.DEEP: Further from the batsman

10.WIDE: Further to the line of pitch

11.FINE: Nearer to the line of  pitch

12.SQUARE: Nearer to the line of batsman's crease

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE LIST OF DIFFERENT FIELD POSITIONS IN CRICKET

OFFSIDE FIELD POSITIONS:

  1)Slips(1st-4th).  6)Cover.   11)Short

  2)Third man.      7)Fine        12)Deep

  3)Backward        8)Gull        13)Wide 

  4)mid-off.            9)Short      14)square

  5)Silly.                 10)Point.    15)Cover

 16)Silly point/     17)Deep Backward   18)Extra cover    19)long-off    

                              LINK

ONSIDE FIELD POSITIONS:

1)Long on.             6)mid-on.       11)Wide

2) Mid-wicket       7)Forward.    12)Square

3)Deep Forward   8)Silly mid-on

 

4)Short leg.           9)Square leg 

5)leg gully            10)Fine leg 

MOST IMPORTANT FIELDING POSITIONS

 Even though there are numerous fielding positions in cricket, 15 of those positions are the most important ones. These positions should be known by everyone playing and viewing the sport. They are

LEGSIDE

1.Fine leg           2.Deep Backward square leg

3.Square Leg     4.Mid wicket        5.Long on  

6.Mid on            7.Deep midwicket

OFFSIDE

1.Third man      2.Gully 

3.Slips               4.Point

5.Cover point    6.Extra cover

7.Mid off           8.Long off

FINAL THOUGHTS

Even though there are around 30 fielding positions in cricket, you only need to understand and study the 15 most important positions at the beginning because if you try to study and remember everything in a single go, you will probably forget everything.

Sometimes you might not be able to remember even the 15 most important fielding positions so during such circumstances you should try to learn 5 or 6 fielding positions in a week and within 1 or 2 months you will be able to learn all. The best way to never forget these names is to use them more often when playing and talking about cricket.