Cricket is a recreation of processes, timing, and subject placements. We all realize the standard stuff — slips, factor, gully, mid-on, mid-off. But wait till you listen about these weird and rare Cricket Fielding Positions that even hardcore lovers sometimes pass over. Whether you are playing gully cricket or watching the Ranji Trophy along with your gang, knowing those extraordinary spots will blow your thoughts!
Let’s soar properly into the ten weirdest Cricket Fielding Positions that most of us haven’t even heard of.
1. Silly Point – Not So Silly After All!
Okay, first up is silly. Imagine standing right under the batsman’s nose — we’re talking 2–3 metres away! And no helmet? Toh bhagwan bharose!
🟡 When it’s used:
- Against defensive batters
- When spinner is turning the ball square
😅 Fun Fact : In local matches, silly point is usually the place where the newbie fielder gets sent — pure torture!
2. Leg Gully – Slip’s Chhota Bhai
This one sits between a leg slip and short fine leg. It’s like gully’s cousin, just on the leg side.
🟡 Why it’s weird:
- Not common in Indian grounds
- Mostly seen when bowlers aim for batsman’s ribs
🎯 Useful in: Test matches on bouncy wickets
3. Fly Slip – Udta Fielder?
No, it’s not a superhero. A fly slip is placed among ordinary slip and 1/3 man. Very deep, very random.
🟡 When it helps:
- Against aggressive batters who love upper cuts
- To trap edges that don’t go to first or second slip
🔥 Indian Example: MS Dhoni once used this during an ODI vs Sri Lanka — confused the batter completely!
4. Cow Corner – Moo Moo Magic!
Now this sounds like a joke, right? But it’s real! Cow corner sits between deep mid-wicket and long-on.
🟡 Why this name?
- It’s where village cricketers randomly hit the ball
- Classic spot for wild sloggers 😆
📍 In Indian street cricket, we call it “maro maar ke left side boundary”!
5. Sweeper Cover – The Janitor of the Off Side
Sweeper cowl is a deeper version of more cover, particularly used in white-ball cricket to reduce off obstacles.
🟡 Weird part:
- Sounds more like a job title than a fielding position!
👀 When to watch for it:
During powerplays when teams try to stop boundaries
6. Backstop – Only in Gully Cricket
In professional matches, there’s no backstop. But in India, when you’re playing behind your apartment, there’s always that one guy standing right behind the wicketkeeper.
🟡 Why it exists:
- For wicketkeepers who can’t stop byes
- To stop the ball from going into the nala behind
🎯 Technically not in official Cricket Fielding Positions, but we Indians know how important it is!
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7. Third Man – Not a Spy, Just a Strategist
Third man sounds like someone in a crime movie, but it’s a proper Cricket Fielding Position.
🟡 What it does:
- Catches edges from batters playing late cuts or upper cuts
📍 Positioned fine behind the wicket on the off side — not always visible on TV, but life-saver for captains.
8. Short Leg – Daredevil Mode On
This guy stands closer than the silly point, but on the leg side. Literally 2 feet from the batter’s pad. One flick, and boom — injury alert!
🟡 When it’s used:
- Against new batters facing spin
- To take freak catches off inside edges
👷 Always padded like a knight — chest shield, helmet, even belly pad!
9. Deep Fine Leg – Baap of the Leg Side
A fine leg is already weird, but a deep fine leg? That’s almost near the boundary ropes behind the batter!
🟡 Purpose:
- To cut off flicks and hooks that go backward of square
🎯 Desi angle: When you say, “Bhaiya udhar jaa, boundary ke paas”, you’re unknowingly placing a deep fine leg.
10. Long Stop – From 1800s Cricket Books
This one doesn’t exist in modern matches, but once upon a time, long stop used to stand 30 yards behind the wicketkeeper!
🟡 Reason:
- Wicketkeepers back then were quite kanjoos with reflexes
- So someone was needed to stop the ball behind them
🛑 Now replaced by better gear and more skilled keepers. But still, in Indian galli matches, someone always gets stuck in that spot.
Final Thoughts
Cricket is more than just bat and ball — it’s a thought sport, and Cricket Fielding Positions are evidence of that. Some of these might also sound bizarre, but while used neatly, they could flip the shape on its head.
📌 So next time you’re watching a fit or gambling with buddies, try recognizing or putting in these uncommon Cricket Fielding Positions. It’s not simply cool, it’s subsequent-level desi cricket IQ.