Question 1

What field should I set for full and wide, fourth/fifth stump (away-swing) against a right-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

The corridor outside off, full enough to force a drive. The edge is the wicket-taking ball here, so the slip cordon is stacked. Anything short and wide gets cut to point. Likely scoring zones: Driven hard through the covers if timed well, edged to the slip cordon or gully if it beats the bat, cut to point if it strays short and wide.

Question 2

What field should I set for full and wide, fourth/fifth stump (away-swing) against a left-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Against a left-hander this same ball shapes in, not away. The field shifts to the pad side: short leg and leg gully for the inside edge, only one slip kept for the streaky outside edge. Likely scoring zones: Worked or flicked through square leg and mid-wicket, occasional inside edge onto the pads or stumps, LBW and bowled are live if it's missed.

Question 3

What field should I set for back of a length, seaming (fourth stump to top of off) against a right-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Not a wicket-taking channel so much as a strangle. The batter can't fully commit forward or back. Point and gully cover the squared-up shot, not a full-blooded drive. Likely scoring zones: Squared up and steered to point or gully, occasional edge to the slip cordon if it nips back, worked to cover if it sits up.

Question 4

What field should I set for back of a length, seaming (fourth stump to top of off) against a left-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Close to the same ball as against a right-hander, seam movement doesn't flip with the bat the way swing does. One extra leg-side catcher kept for the occasional bat-pad chance. Likely scoring zones: Squared up and steered to point, occasional edge to the cordon, occasional bat-pad chance if it holds and jags back further than expected.

Question 5

What field should I set for short ball at the body against a right-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Almost the whole slip cordon empties out for this one. The leg side boundary is stacked for the pull and hook, with a close catcher in for the fend if it climbs into him. Likely scoring zones: Hooked or pulled to square leg or deep square leg, top-edged to fine leg, fended to a leg gully or short leg if it surprises him.

Question 6

What field should I set for short ball at the body against a left-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Same field as against a right-hander, mirrored. Back-foot mechanics under a bouncer don't change much with which hand is batting. Likely scoring zones: Hooked or pulled to square leg or deep square leg, top-edged to fine leg, fended to a leg gully or short leg if it surprises him.

Question 7

What field should I set for full and straight, attacking the stumps against a right-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

Straight at the stumps, no room to free the arms. Mid-on and mid-off are pushed up to save the single, everything else is in place for a mistimed shot rather than a drive. Likely scoring zones: Defended straight to mid-on or mid-off, worked to mid-wicket or square leg if it drifts onto the pads, occasional streaky drive back past the bowler.

Question 8

What field should I set for full and straight, attacking the stumps against a left-handed batter?

Accepted Answer

The same straight ball carries more LBW and bowled risk against a left-hander. Short leg and leg gully come in for the bat-pad chance that this ball creates more often here than against a right-hander. Likely scoring zones: Defended or worked to mid-wicket and square leg, higher chance of an inside edge onto the pads or stumps than against a right-hander.

Full and wide, away-swing