In the sport of

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

, different fielding restrictions are imposed depending on the type of match. They are used to discourage certain bowling tactics, or to encourage the batsmen to play big shots, enabling them to hit fours and sixes. Each team has nine fielders other than the wicket-keeper and bowler. The captain decides the fielding positions usually after consulting with the bowler. In

Test cricket Test cricket is a Forms of cricket, format of the sport of cricket, considered the game’s most prestigious and traditional form. Often referred to as the "ultimate test" of a cricketer's skill, endurance, and temperament, it is a format of i ...

matches, the fielding restrictions are relaxed as compared to a

One Day International One Day International (ODI) is a format of cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of fifty overs, with the game lasting up to 7 hours. The World Cup, generally held every four yea ...

All forms

In all forms of cricket, only two fielders are allowed in the quadrant between the fielding positions of ''square leg'' and ''long stop''. This is to prevent the outlawed and controversial

bodyline Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their English cricket team in Australia in 1932–33, 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia. It was designed to combat the extraordinar ...

tactics from being used. No fielder is allowed on or over the pitch until the batsman has had a chance to play the ball.

One day cricket

Various rules concerning fielding have applied during the history of

one day cricket Limited overs cricket, also known as white ball cricket, is a version of the sport of cricket in which a match is generally completed within one day. There are a number of formats, including List A cricket (8-hour games), Twenty20 cricket (3-h ...

, with the dual aim of encouraging the batsman to play attacking shots and to prevent the fielding team from being too defensive by posting all their fielders on the boundary. The current rules applying to One Day Internationals were first introduced as trial rules in July 2001, and are also used for some other limited overs tournaments. Cricket field parts

Men's Fielding Restriction Circles

An oval shall be made by drawing two semi-circles on the field of play. The semi-circles shall have as their centre the middle stump at either end of the pitch. The radius of each of the semi-circles shall be . The semi-circles shall be linked by lines which are drawn parallel to the pitch. This line, is commonly known as the circle. Further, two circles centered on each wicket of radius are drawn and combined encompasses an area known as the ''close infield.'' During the first 10 overs of a 50-over innings a maximum of two fielders are allowed to be deployed in the outfield. Before July 2015, a minimum of two fielders (other than the bowler and

wicket-keeper In cricket, the wicket-keeper is the Cricket player, player on the fielding (cricket), fielding side who stands behind the wicket, ready to stop Delivery (cricket), deliveries that pass the batsman, and take a Caught, catch, Stumped, stump the ...

) had to be deployed in the close infield during Powerplay 1. If the number of overs in the innings is restricted to less than 24, the length of the fielding restrictions is reduced to eight or nine overs. At least 3 fielders must remain on either the Off or Leg Side. T10 cricket has the same restrictions as T20 but for half of the bowling period. In other words: a maximum of two fielders outside the circle for the first six overs. Cricket field W

Women's Fielding Restriction Circles

In the Women's game the infield is smaller than in the Men's game but the close infield is the same. The semicircles of the infield have a radius of . The restriction of having a maximum of three fielders in the outfield is applied for a further two blocks of five overs, with the captains of the fielding and the batting sides deciding the timing of one block each. These five-over spells are called Powerplay 2 and Powerplay 3 and may be shortened if the length of the innings is restricted (Powerplay 1 is the first block of 10). Powerplays were first introduced in the

between

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

on 7 July 2005. For the rest of the innings, a more generous maximum of five fielders in the outfield applies.

History

Fielding restrictions were first introduced in the Australian 1980–81 season. By 1992, only two fielders were allowed outside the circle in the first fifteen overs, then five fielders allowed outside the circle for the remaining overs. This was shortened to ten overs in 2005, and two five-over powerplays were introduced, with the bowling team having discretion over the timing for both. In 2008, the batting team was given discretion for the timing of one of the two powerplays. In 2011, the teams were restricted to completing the discretionary powerplays between the 16th and 40th overs; previously, the powerplays could take place at any time between the 11th and 50th overs. On October 30, 2012, changes to the rules for fielding restrictions in one-day matches were officially implemented by the ICC. The number of Powerplay blocks were reduced to two; the first occurs within the first 10 overs, restricting the team to two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. The second block, the Batting Powerplay with a restriction of three fielders outside the circle, must occur by the 40th over. The number of fielders outside the 30-yard circle in non-Powerplay overs has also been reduced to four (from five). In June 2015 rules changed to do away with batting powerplay, and allowed up to 5 fielders outside the circle in last 10 overs. The 2015 rule changes also included the removal of batting power play.

Twenty20

The number of players in the outfield area is the same as for the One-day format, but the restriction lasts for the first six of the twenty overs, and there is no "Batting" or "Bowling" Powerplay (Powerplays 2 and 3 in ODI's). Whereas in Twenty20 format a team can have maximum of five fielders outside ( for women) after first six overs of twenty overs.

References

{{Reflist Cricket captaincy and tactics Limited overs cricket Fielding (cricket)