_Sam_
Panel of Selectors
Other odd fielding positions include the sight-screen fielder - which is illegal
Where have you picked that out from...?
Other odd fielding positions include the sight-screen fielder - which is illegal
Looked through the laws and can't see anything around a fielder standing directly behind the bowler being illegal.
I'm 100% sure it's not.
They can't stand behind the keeper, but the bowler's perfectly legal.
They can't stand behind the keeper, but the bowler's perfectly legal.
It's the other way round actually. The position directly behind the wkt keeper was known as long stop in the old days and went out of fashion a wkt keeping improved coz it's a waste of a fielder but you can position the fielder at long stop if you so desire.
A fielder can't be positioned directly behind the bowler as the striker (batsman on strike) may object to it claiming he can't sight the ball owing to distraction caused by the fielder directly behind he bowler. That's why you have sight-screen behind the bowler. Even though there may not be a rule against the "straight hit" fielder but the fielder will need to be moved if the batsman objects.
I've gone through the laws, and can't see any reference to it actually, although a distraction could be claimed, the law doesn't in any way ban it. Indeed, given the position of the ball on release, it's hard to be a distraction really.
As for the keeper, the issue comes because of the 2 fielders behind square on the leg. If he stands directly behind the keeper it's impossible for square leg umpire to know if it's offside or legside, and therefore impossible for him to call a no ball, as only the bowler's end can judge.
Although again, it's not specifically banned in the laws, it's considered something that should be brought to the fielding captain's attention.
Except in theory, the umpire shouldnt consider it a distraction if the fielder doesn't move.
He will if the batsman objects. If Ambrose could be forced to remove his wrist bands coz batsman wasn't able to sight the ball properly, I bet umpires will force the "straight hit" fielder to move to the side![]()