Editing Fielding (cricket) (section)

==Tactics of field placement==
With only nine fielders (in addition to the bowler and wicket-keeper), there are not enough to cover every part of the field simultaneously. The captain of the fielding team must decide which fielding positions to use, and which to leave vacant. The placement of fielders is one of the major tactical considerations for the fielding captain.

===Attacking and defending===
[[File:Trescothick misfield.JPG|thumb|[[Marcus Trescothick]] fields at slip during a [[Twenty20]] match.]]
An attacking field is one in which fielders are positioned in such a way that they are likely to take catches, and thus likely to get the batter out. Such a field generally involves having many fielders close to the batter. For a pace bowler, an attacking field will usually include multiple slips (termed a ''cordon'') and a gully; these are common positions for catching mishit shots. For a spin bowler, attacking positions include one or two slips, short leg or silly point.

A defensive field is one in which most of the field is within easy reach of one or more fielders; the batter will therefore find it difficult to score runs. This generally involves having most fielders some distance from, and in front of, the batter, in positions where the ball is most likely to be hit. Defensive fields generally have multiple fielders stationed close to the boundary rope to prevent fours being scored, and others close to the fielding circle, where they can prevent singles.

Many elements govern the decisions on field placements, including: the tactical situation in the match; which bowler is [[bowling (cricket)|bowling]]; how long the batter has been in; the wear on the ball; the state of the wicket; the light and weather conditions; or the time remaining until the next interval in play.

===Off- and leg-side fields===
Another consideration when setting a field is how many fielders to have on each side of the pitch. With nine fielders to place, the division must necessarily be unequal, but the degree of inequality varies.

When describing a field setting, the numbers of fielders on the off side and leg side are often abbreviated into a shortened form, with the off side number quoted first. For example, a ''5–4 field'' means 5 fielders on the off side and 4 on the leg side.

Usually, most fielders are placed on the off side. This is because most bowlers tend to concentrate the line of their deliveries on or outside the off [[stump (cricket)|stump]], so most shots are hit into the off side.

When attacking, there may be 3 or 4 slips and 1 or 2 gullies, potentially using up to six fielders in that region alone. This would typically be accompanied by a mid off, mid on, and fine leg, making it a 7–2 field. Although there are only two fielders on the leg side, they should get relatively little work as long as the bowlers maintain a line outside off stump. This type of field leaves large gaps in front of the wicket, and is used to entice the batters to attack there, with the hope that they make a misjudgment and edge the ball to the catchers waiting behind them.

As fields get progressively more defensive, fielders will move out of the slip and gully area to cover more of the field, leading to 6–3 and 5–4 fields.

If a bowler, usually a [[leg spin]] bowler, decides to attack the batter's legs in an attempt to force a [[stumping]], bowl him behind their legs, or induce a catch on the leg side, the field may stack 4–5 towards the leg side. It is unusual to see more than five fielders on the leg side, because of the restriction that there must be no more than two fielders placed behind square leg. 
{{main|Leg theory}}

Sometimes a spinner will bowl [[leg theory]] and have seven fielders on the leg side, and will bowl significantly wide of the leg stump to prevent scoring. Often the ball is so wide that the batter cannot hit the ball straight of mid-on while standing still, and cannot hit to the off side unless they try unorthodox and risky shots such as a reverse sweep or pull, or switch their handedness. The batter can back away to the leg side to hit through the off side, but can expose their stumps in doing so.

{{main|Off theory}}

The reverse tactic can be used, by fast and slow bowlers alike, by placing seven or eight fielders on the off side and bowling far outside off stump. The batter can safely allow the ball to pass without fear of it hitting the stumps, but will not score. If they want to score they will have to try and risk an edge to a wide ball and hit through the packed off side, or try to drag the ball from far outside the stumps to the sparsely-populated leg side.

Another attacking placement on the leg side is the ''leg side trap'', which involves placing fielders near the boundary at deep square and backward square leg and bowling [[bouncer (cricket)|bouncers]] to try to induce the batter to [[Batting (cricket)#Pull and hook|hook]] the ball into the air. For slower bowlers, the leg trap fieldsmen tend to be placed within 10–15&nbsp;m from the bat behind square, to catch leg glances and sweeps.