square leg

or square-leg

noun

, Cricket.

1. the position of a fielder on the left of the batsman and almost on the opposite side of the wicket.
2. the fielder occupying this position.

square leg

noun

1. a fielding position on the on side approximately at right angles to the batsman
2. a person who fields in this position

Word History and Origins

Origin of square leg¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Mahmood had opener Brandon King caught at extra cover in the second over and in his next Evin Lewis picked out deep square leg and Shimron Hetmyer nicked behind in consecutive balls, leaving the hosts 18-3 before a 35-minute rain interruption.

From BBC

Another wobble saw Australia slip from 79-2 to 101-5 but Perry and Phoebe Litchfield, whose 15 from nine balls included a booming six over square leg, helped them finish with a flourish.

From BBC

Jamal attacked Carse’s bouncers, producing a steepling top edge that Ollie Pope dropped while back-pedalling from square leg.

From BBC

A top-edge off Aamer Jamal just evaded the square leg fielder and, from the next ball, a Brook pull took the stand past England’s previous best partnership of 411 between greats Colin Cowdrey and Peter May in 1957.

From BBC

Jacob Bethell had Cameron Green caught at straight mid-on for 42 and Steve Smith, who had taken 71 balls to reach fifty, was brilliantly caught by a diving Carse at deep square leg off Jofra Archer.

From BBC