Your guide to the most common fielding positions in cricket
WICKET KEEPER
The wicket-keeper is the most important fielder in cricket. It is a position filled by a specialist player and they will field the ball more than anyone else on the pitch. The wicket-keeper stands behind the batsman, and how far away from the stumps he is depends on the pace of the bowler. If a spin or slow bowler is in operation, the wicket-keeper will stand right up to the stumps, and when a faster bowler is on the keeper will be right back, as the ball will be travelling at pace. Occasionally the keeper might stand up to the stumps when a faster bowler is on, to stop a batsman standing outside his crease and to try and affect a stumping.
The wicket-keeper will field the ball when it has not been hit by the batsman, to stop it going for byes, or if the delivery was a bad one, wides.
The most common way for a wicket-keeper to get a batsman out is to catch the ball when it has been edged behind. More catches are taken here than in any other fielding position. The wicket-keeper can also stump the batsman by using the ball to knock off the bails when the batsman is out of his crease.
Run-outs can also involve the keeper, when they move in towards the stumps when the ball is being fielded; allowing them to take the return catch and disturb the bails.
Who fields there? Gareth Cross, Alex Davies
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