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

With Hope on 53 not out at the non-striker's end, that left number 11 Pierre three to get from the final delivery and he top-edged a slog to square leg where wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan dropped the catch and allowed Windies to steal two and force a super over.

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While at no point did Curran find his best batting rhythm, he remained calm to power the impressive left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner for one six over long-off and flicked a full toss over square leg in a final over from which he took seamer Duffy for 19.

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In an oft-repeated story, Bird said he was at square leg when the phone rang.

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The ability to play all around the wicket was evident at The Oval as she got herself going by smoking a drive through the covers before effortlessly flicking the ball over square leg for six a few balls later.

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His three sixes – the first timed down the ground, the second heaved over square leg and the third, the biggest of the lot, slog-swept over mid-wicket – took his tally to 21 off Rashid in T20s.

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