This article is part of "The complete guide to cricket field settings" series.

When a batsman is all set and looking to go after you, towards final overs a leg spinner can easily get thrashed if he doesn’t have a proper field to bowl to.

However, against the spinners, slog sweep and hitting the bowl over mid-on are most batsmen’s favourite shots. As you are turning the ball away from the right hander this makes it more difficult for the batsman, so you can pick up wickets, even late in the game.

 If there is a fielding circle, all the fielders who are inside it move to the edge.

Bowling to this field

This field would allow you to bowl both over and around the wicket to a right hander.

Don’t look to flight the ball a great deal as a batsman with his eye set will easily pick your flight. Look to pitch it on or outside the leg stump and bowl at his pads. Length is the key here, as you do not want to be very short or full. The ideal length (Shane Warne’s length) would be about 5 feet from the batting crease, getting the batsman to go forward.

As you are bowling at the batsman’s pads there is no need for an off side boundary runner.

Bowling variations

Variations are important to leg spinners, however at this late stage in the match it’s important not to try and be too clever.

You don’t want the batsman to be able to set himself because you are too predictable. However, you should only try a variation if you are confident you can bowl it accurately under the pressure of being hit.

The googly is the obvious option, but a batsman who is looking to plant his front leg and hit over the leg side could be deceived by the flipper as it skids on and increases the chance of bowled or LBW.

Avoid bowling

• Short pitch balls from spinners are a batsman’s delight, never ball short and wide.
•  Full tosses. These could be hit anywhere on the field and are impossible to set a field to.

• If the batsman is only going leg side you can move another fielder from off to leg making a 6/3 leg side split
• If the batsman is going ‘inside out’ to hit through the off side then rethink your plan as you will need a 6/3 off side biased field
• Don’t fall into the trap of setting boundary fielders on both sides. Club batsmen are not good enough to hit it to all parts unless you are bowling both sides of the wicket.
• If the batsman is sweeping a lot and picking up runs you can move mid on the square leg.

Batting against this field

• Back yourself to clear the rope and look to slog sweep or hit straight.
• Look to exploit the gap on the off-side by stepping away and going “inside out” hitting over the top.
•  Rotate the strike by sweeping fine into the gap on the leg side

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