Field placings

[Craig]

I would to go with something that is purely tatical today in the subject of field placings. I notice all the different field settings by captains and I even picture where I would put the fielders if I were the captain on the field.

for me one thing I do notice is that when tailenders or lower order batsmen (say from number 8 or 9 downwards) I notice captains are relunct to put a 3rd man in there. Why not? It is as a prime scoring area for them as a Gilchrist hook shot. It saves runs and even a attacking fielder who can take catches from any top edge cut shots when the sloggers (Warne, Brett Lee, Murali - although he bats at 11, Bond same as Murali, Bichel) who bat in that order play top edge cut shots over the slips and any snicks that go through there.

When Adam Gilchrist comes into bat if I were captain I would probably put one in as well as a point, backward point and a couple of gullies perhaps as when he cuts it is usually though that region in the air and if he goes over the slips there is protection. Its one of his strengths but also a weakness if there is one in his game.

For Justin Langer, I would probably go with a onside field setting of a short leg, square leg and fine leg (I believe that isnt a no-ball) because he likes to work the ball into that area for singles and also to encourage bowlers to bowl on middle and leg as he as a weakness there IMO as he often falls over himself and is a canditate for LBW.

Damien Martyn I would pack the slips, gullies and point fielders as it is a weakness as he cuts through their n the air.

For Greame Smith I would be tempted to leave the covers open and encourage the bowlers to bowl through as since as it has been highlighted as a technical flaw in his game and encouirage him to drive and hopefully get a snick to the slips.

Overall if the ball is swinging it would be a bad idea to encourage batsmen to play the cover drive because if the balls is moving a about or there is some swing from the bowler it is a possible snick to the slips or 'keeper.

Before I finish this massive post I felt Greame Smith missed a trick when Gayle came in the second innings in the recent Test because Gayle was though the bat and it was going over the slips, a 3rd man would of been handy.

Thoughts.

 

[Gaijin-san]

For Justin Langer I would be thinking about the straight-drive and cut as well, as he has brought those into his game more these days.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Stupid field placements: Example A:

Peterson gets smacked by Lara for a 4 and a 6 and yet Smith has no one back on the boundary. Rather, he bring midwicket in. Lara then completes a record performance without a worry. Ridiculous.

Effective field placements:
Wavell Hinds
Tendency: Drive off the back foot to full deliveries and loft the ball.
Placement: Short cover and gully provided the bowling is pitched up.

Ramnaresh Sarwan
Tendency: Compulsively hook.
Placement: Two men back on the boundary and a squarish midwicket.

Graeme Smith
Tendency: Play loosely outside off and try to work the ball to leg.
Placement: Remove midoff and midon and place 3 slips and a widish gully. Pitch the ball up outside off stump. For the spinner set a leg slip and a short leg.

Adam Gilchrist
Tendency: Hook and cut.
Placement: Set a wide first slip, second slip, a fly slip and a wide gully. Have two men back on the legside boundary square or behind. Straight midoff and extra cover just outside the circle. Place cover-point in an orthodox position. Proceed to bowl outside off stump with the occasional short ball. If Gillie isn't troubled at all, go around the wicket and fire in a yorker.

 

[Craig]

Do you think it is a good idea to put two men back when Gilchrist walks into bat?

He has been known to hit it in the air quite a bit so it may be a consideration. Either that the fielder would need to be 17 feet tall to catch it.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Do you think it is a good idea to put two men back when Gilchrist walks into bat?

He has been known to hit it in the air quite a bit so it may be a consideration. Either that the fielder would need to be 17 feet tall to catch it.

Read above post.

Matt Hayden should also have two men back if the track has any bounce, especially in ODI's.

 

[Craig]

Cheers. You posted yours just before mine.

 

[age_master]

gilchrist - whole team back except the keeper - 1 on the off side and one on te on side - try to keep him from hitting boundaries - then again he would probably just go over the top

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

gilchrist - whole team back except the keeper - 1 on the off side and one on te on side - try to keep him from hitting boundaries - then again he would probably just go over the top

I agree 100%. Surely there has never been an unstoppable force as that which is embodied by Adam Gilchrist. Surely he has no weaknesses and surely he cannot be dismissed without throwing it away.:rolleyes:

Arrogance? I detect no arrogance...

 

[Craig]

One thing I do notice that captains do when a top order batsman is batting with a tailended is that they spread the field back and the batsman hits the ball to the fielder and they dont run to protect the tailender.

So logically the captain should bring the field up for the first four balls, put say mid on and mid off a bit deeper and encourage them to hit over the top, then after the 4th ball push the field back let him have a single if he wants and have one ball to have a go at the tailender.

Other option is to bring the field field up and try and keep him on strike and have 6 balls at the tailender.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

One thing I do notice that captains do when a top order batsman is batting with a tailended is that they spread the field back and the batsman hits the ball to the fielder and they dont run to protect the tailender.

So logically the captain should bring the field up for the first four balls, put say mid on and mid off a bit deeper and encourage them to hit over the top, then after the 4th ball push the field back let him have a single if he wants and have one ball to have a go at the tailender.

Other option is to bring the field field up and try and keep him on strike and have 6 balls at the tailender.

That makes little sense. You want the top order batsman to have as much strike as possible with that method, plus you'll concede alot more boundaries.

Instead you should spread the field to give a single at best and cut off the boundaries and then bring in the field for the final 2 balls.

 

[Craig]

Not nessacarly.

If your bowlers run in and bowl full toss, long hops half vollies top the batsman then you deserve to get for the boundaries whether the field is in or not.

A batsman can still hit boundaries whether or not the field is up.

If you bring the field up and your bowlers bowl a good line and length they wont concede a single thing and that why you also have a chance of getting him out.

Makes sense to you? No?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Not nessacarly.

If your bowlers run in and bowl full toss, long hops half vollies top the batsman then you deserve to get for the boundaries whether the field is in or not.

A batsman can still hit boundaries whether or not the field is up.

If you bring the field up and your bowlers bowl a good line and length they wont concede a single thing and that why you also have a chance of getting him out.

Makes sense to you? No?

A couple of things...

1/ Common sense dictates that there's less of a chance of boundaries when the field is back. Hence fielding restrictions.
2/ Top class batsmen can hit line and length balls to the boundary.

 

[Craig]

Looking at it from the other side of the coin, you also have to try and get him out as well.

Unless it was a really super delievery, it would be his own fault if he got out bowled or LBW caught behind or run out (can be the non-strikers fault as well).

And he less inclinced to hit the ball in the air unless he had a rush of blood to the head if the field is back.

You wont get him out as well if he isnt taking any risks and placing the best straight drive for one not to get a run (that probably is unclear).

Still doesnt make any sense?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It makes less sense than the orthodox approach. The point of the orthodox tactic is to get the lesser batsmen out.

I remember a time in the Busta Cup semi-final (or final perhaps?) when Hooper got a hundred and was batting with the Guyanese tail. It seemed that Guyana would be dismissed soon for a reasonable score, but Robert Samuels kept the field in and Hooper then proceeded to smash the ball to all parts in scoring a double hundred. Hooper had no intention of taking singles and exposing the tailenders, so wouldn't it have made more sense to have the fielders back and restrict the boundaries?

 

[Richard]

On the latter subject I have to agree with Liam - basic logic is that boundaries are less likely with the field back. The skill of the bowling is irrelevant - you can't control whether the bowling is good or poor, and you try to bowl as well as you can all the time.
The best tactic is always to try and bowl at the lower-order player whenever possible and try to ensure the top-order player gets as few runs as poss.
Regarding the first point, I would have a third-man in First-Class-cricket:
1, for the new ball as a rule (obviously there are exceptions to every rule so you take them as they come).
2, for any batsman new batsman.
3, for any batsman who has been shown to consistently score runs there. I would have a deep cover and a third-man for Damien Martyn, for instance, then bowl deliberately outside his off-stump in good batting conditions. He isn't the sort to start playing across the line.
The number of runs West Indies scored to third-man in the first-innings at The Wanderers in all these circumstances was quite ludicrous. Normally I rate Smith highly as a tactition but he got it wrong there.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

The number of runs West Indies scored to third-man in the first-innings at The Wanderers in all these circumstances was quite ludicrous. Normally I rate Smith highly as a tactition but he got it wrong there.

Yep. Smith got a few things wrong in that game regarding field placement.

 

[Craig]

Ok, so if you set a defensive field, do you put in a couple of slips just in case of an edge.

You can defend and get him out as well.

Generally, two slips, a deep point, 3rd man, fine leg, deep square leg, mid on, long off,cover/deep cover

When Ponting comes in it wouldnt be a bad idea to put in a short midwicket.

 

[Richard]

My ideal field to the new-ball:
Wicketkeeper, first, second slip, mid-off, mid-on, mid-wicket, cover, extra-cover, third-man (wideish), long-leg (wideish).

 

[iamdavid]

My ideal field to the new-ball:
Wicketkeeper, first, second slip, mid-off, mid-on, mid-wicket, cover, extra-cover, third-man (wideish), long-leg (wideish).

Rather defensive arent we , I'd think you'd want to be showing slightly more aggresive intentions for the first ball of a match.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

My ideal field to the new-ball:
Wicketkeeper, first, second slip, mid-off, mid-on, mid-wicket, cover, extra-cover, third-man (wideish), long-leg (wideish).

IMO...

* 3 slips - 3rd slip a bit deeper than the rest
* gully - short or regulation depending on the bounce
* fine leg
* square leg
* cover, extra cover
* midon

Encourage the batsman to drive through midoff and bowl just outside or on off'. This is in an attempt to get early wickets, but of course, if you're wicketless after 10 overs or so, changes must be made.