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Infield is a sports term whose definition depends on the sport in whose context it is used.
Inbaseball, thediamond, as well as the area immediately beyond it, has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered,outfield. The "diamond" can also refer to the defensive unit of players that are positioned in the region:first baseman,second baseman,shortstop,third baseman. Sometimes it includes thecatcher andpitcher who (as a tandem) are often referred to separately as thebattery.[citation needed]
In baseball the physical infield is where most of the action in a baseball game occurs, as it includes that area where the all-important duel between thepitcher andbatter takes place.[1] The pitcher stands on thepitcher's mound (a raised mound of dirt located at the center of the infield) and from there he pitches the ball to hiscatcher, who is crouched behind home plate sixty feet, six inches away at what might be called the cutlet of the diamond-shaped baseball field. To the left and right of the catcher are chalk boxes in the dirt calledbatter's boxes. The opposing team's batter must stand in one of the two boxes and from there he will attempt to hit the pitched ball with his bat. Theumpire, who officiates the game, stands behind the catcher. The other important parts of the infield are the threebases,first base (to the pitcher's left, looking toward home plate),second base (behind the pitcher) andthird base (to the pitcher's right). Together, home plate and the three bases form a diamond around the pitcher, with each side of the diamond measuring 90 feet (27 m).[1]
Incricket infield is a central oval on thecricket field, the reference point for fielding restrictions in short forms of the game; in contrast to the more distantoutfield.[citation needed]
Infield can refer to a region inside a closedrace track used forhorse racing orauto racing, or to an area encircled by the track of aroller coaster.[citation needed]
