Fielding Questions?

Question

So I was at the match between England and New Zealand at Lord's yesterday (and Thursday) and during overs and breaks in the game my friends and I got into a heated discussion about field settings and how to set a perfect field to certain types of bowling (fast and spin bowling for example). We couldn't decide whether it was better to be defensive or attacking or somewhere inbetween for either. And as neither of us have ever captained a team the argument was a bit of a stalemate. I think we came to the conclusion that we all have our own idiosyncrasies and we would all be awful captains!

Anyway I want to know your opinion on field settings and have a few questions:

1) Is there such a thing as a perfect field? If so what is it?

2) How would you set a field for a spin bowler?

3) How would you set a field for a fast bowler?

(make sure you include all the fielders in your settings and try not to have any extra players than would normally be on a playing field).

Answer 1

whow amazed !! .... please man ..shut up!!!

anyways ..okay according to me ... no there's no perfect field ... you see since players are humans and not just artificial intelligence .. batsmen will always think of ways to beat a field set ... also depends on the skill of the player ... .(so for a bradman or a tendulkar ... nope .. no perfect field set.)

now i've been watching all forms of cricket .(i like 'em all equally .. including IPL ... as well as the eng vs NZ tour going on.)

okay .. now as i said .. i think field sets would be placed according to the skill of the player

so as an answer to 2) for an upper order batsman against spin in a test match ... i'll go for an agressive field .(not overly though.) ... two slips ... third man ... fine leg .(or make it a backward short leg a little fine instead of square.) .... ur usual gully cover midwicket point deep square leg .(for the sweep.)..and maybe a mid off .(i'll ask my bowler to bowl off .... especially if he's  a leggie.)

for a lower order batsmen just bring everone closer ... have another slip and add a short leg and a silly point ... but keep the deep quare leg .( lower oder batsmen can get mighty quirky and try the sweep.)

3.)  for a higher order batsman ... i'll keep almost the same field as spin ... push the mid wicket to sweeper position ... bring in the square leg ... maybe an extra cover .... it depends a lot on the pacer .( fast ... medium fast .) so i sorry i couldnt answer taht well

for a lower order batsmen its easy ... 3 slips maybe four .. gully squarer than usual .... mid on ... square leg ... a short fielder .(maybe.) and one in the deep postion in the long off most probably .. and i'll ask my bowler to bowl off outswingers especially

i think you've guessed i am an orthodox captain .... well even i havnt led a proper team but we play a lot of 'informal' cricket at college and these positions help me  a lot.

Answer 2

Hi Sarah

1/ No such thing as a perfect field, there are fields you set to an incoming batsman depending on the state of the game, but each bat has strengths and weaknesses and a good captain will work on these and set a field accordingly.

2/Spinners either contain or buy a wicket so you need to decide on what you want to achieve and set the field to back your bowler.

3/Initially looking for a knick but if the bat is well in then looking at traps such as deep square with a short one or long off and a half volley.

Captaincy requires a good reading of the game but also a lot of luck, sometimes you can look good when something happens after a change in field or bowler, but you can also look just as bad when you bring back your opening bowler and he disappears to all corners of the ground.

Answer 3

watch ipl ........... its better

Answer 4

When i was captain for a couple of games for my team! i just had a general field. Take into account that this is a 40 over per-side match.

1 or 2 slips or 1Gully

Then 3 men on the edge of the ring on the off-side (e.g point, cover and mid-off)

2 men on the leg-side on the edge of the ring (mid-on and mid wicket)

Then a fine leg and 3rd man or a sweeper on the leg-side.

It might not be a perfect field in real ODI cricket, but it did force the opposition batsmen to try and go over the top!! They failed and we bowled them out cheaply