- Sponsorship withdrawn as league launched formal cheating investigation.
An unexpected controversy in English club cricket has sparked widespread outrage across the global sporting community. A viral video circulating on social media caught a fielder blatantly cheating during a local league match, triggering intense public criticism, official disciplinary action, and immediate commercial fallout for the player involved.
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Viral Video And ‘Clicky Ponting’ Nickname
The cheating scandal emerged during a Division Two match in English club cricket involving Saltburn Cricket Club’s Second XI. A clip posted on social media by Ben Mummery on X (formerly Twitter) revealed Saltburn fielder Brian Devine standing at first slip and loudly clicking his fingers to imitate the sound of a bat edge as the ball passed the batter.
The bat was nowhere near the ball, yet the deceptive audio cue misled the umpire into ruling the batter out caught behind.
“First slip clicks his fingers to imitate an edge, bat nowhere near it and given out. This is about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket,” wrote Mummery when sharing the viral video.
The incident sparked immediate outrage among fans and commentators, who mockingly dubbed Devine “Clicky Ponting” – a sarcastic nod to legendary former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting.
@Saltburncc First slip clicks his fingers to imitate an edge, bat nowhere near it and given out.
This is about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket.
Apparently, their keeper has a huge amount of catches this season.@talkSPORT @bbctms @SkyCricket @TailendersPod pic.twitter.com/iM7lZfKF5q— Ben Mummery (@ben_mummery) July 27, 2026
Opponents Claim Systematic Deception
As the footage gained widespread attention online, rival players came forward, alleging that this was not an isolated event. The captain of Middlesbrough Cricket Club’s Second XI disclosed that similar tactics had occurred on multiple occasions, severely damaging the confidence and match performances of young, teenage players.
According to quotes reported by The Sun, an opposing player who was at the non-striker’s end recalled:
“It’s clear what’s been happening, and it’s not confined to one game. I was at the other end when one of our players was dismissed, but our batsman was adamant he was nowhere near the ball. We had three given out caught behind that day, and all of them said they hadn’t touched the ball.”
Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history. How long has he been doing this? How many batsmen’s days has he ruined? https://t.co/XptHEfE9uo
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 28, 2026
Outrage From Media Figures And Loss Of Sponsorship
Prominent TV host Piers Morgan amplified the backlash by sharing the footage on X, strongly criticizing Devine’s actions:
“Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history. How long has he been doing this? How many batsmen’s days has he ruined?” Morgan posted.
The public outcry quickly led to real-world consequences for Devine. Local business Spices, an Indian restaurant that served as Devine’s personal sponsor, officially withdrew its financial backing following the revelation.
Official Statement From The Cricket League
Following a formal complaint regarding the Division Two match, the governing body North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League stepped in to launch a full investigation.
In an official statement addressing the matter, the league announced:
“The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday. A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”
