Fielding positions

Fielding positions are the named places on the ground where a captain stations the nine fielders who are not bowling or keeping wicket.

The names are relative to the batter. The off side is the side the bat points to when the batter is in their stance; the leg side or on side is behind them. Close to the bat are the slips and gully, beside the wicketkeeper, waiting for the edge. The ring of fielders inside the 30-yard circle includes point and cover on the off side, mid-off and mid-on straight, and mid-wicket and square leg on the leg side, with fine leg and third man behind square. In the deep are the boundary riders: long-off, long-on, deep mid-wicket, deep square leg, deep cover and deep point.

The powerplay rules limit how many fielders may stand outside the circle, which is why the early overs are full of boundaries and the later ones full of singles. A field is a statement of intent. Three slips and a gully say the captain wants an edge; a packed leg side says a bouncer is coming; a sweeper on the cover boundary says the bowler is going to give the batter width and dare him to hit over the top.

In Masterstroke: you drag all nine fielders yourself. Pack the ring and they hit over the top; load the rope and they milk you for ones. Green zones on the field are the batter's scoring areas, amber are the shots he mistimes.