Cover Point Fielding Position in Cricket
What is the cover point fielding position? Where it sits, what it prevents, and why it is one of the busiest positions in limited-overs cricket.
Cover point is an off-side fielding position located between point (square) and extra cover (straighter), roughly at a 30-degree angle from the batsman. It is one of the most active fielding positions in cricket — a large proportion of attacking off-side shots pass through or close to cover point.
What Cover Point Stops
- Cover drives and off drives hit wide of mid-off.
- Pushes through the covers from on-side deliveries.
- Cut shots that miss gully and run wide of point.
- Defensive pushes that trickle through the off-side ring.
In the Ring vs on the Boundary
Cover point can be fielded at either depth. In the circle (for powerplays or attacking fields) the cover point saves the single and prevents the boundary. On the boundary ('deep cover' or 'sweeper cover') the cover point stops boundaries but concedes singles.
Skills at Cover Point
- Fast ground-fielding — sliding stops and quick throws on the run.
- Strong throw — saves from the cover region require accurate, fast throwing to the top of the stumps.
- Pick-up speed — the ball often arrives fast from a hard cover drive.
- Anticipation — reading the batsman's shot selection to be in motion early.
Frequently asked questions
Is cover point on the off or leg side?
Cover point is on the off side — to the right of a right-handed batsman's stance.
Who are the best cover point fielders?
Jonty Rhodes, Paul Collingwood, and Virat Kohli are among the most celebrated. Kohli in particular is renowned for aggressive cover-point fielding with a threatening throw.