‘Clicky Ponting’ caught in major cheating row

Cricket is a gentleman’s game, or at least it was, if the brouhaha over an amateur cricket match in England is anything to go by.

A video that has been viewed millions of times on X shows a fielder at slips clicking his fingers to imitate the sound of a bat connecting with the ball before a player is called out during a game involving North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League team Saltburn CC.

As the video gained widespread attention, the captain of Middlesbrough Cricket Club's Second XI joined the discussion, alleging that similar incidents had occurred on multiple occasions and had even affected the performances and confidence of teenage players.

With the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League currently investigating the matter, Saltburn CC player Brian Devine has come under scrutiny after he was identified as the player who allegedly clicked his fingers in the viral clip. Fans have also been relentless in their criticism, giving him the nickname "Clicky Ponting" – a tongue-in-cheek reference to Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting who had a reputation of playing the game the hard way.

The controversy continues to escalate for Devine, who is not only facing an investigation but has also reportedly lost the backing of his local sponsor, an Indian restaurant named Spices.

According to Fox Sports, Devine, 38, is a company secretary for a livestock auction house and estate agents in the North of England and is a long-time club cricketer. With his senior club cricket career spanning 24 years, he has played 481 matches and was described as a ‘legend’ on Saltburn CC’s social media.

"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," Devine's rival player wrote as per The Sun.

Renowned TV host Piers Morgan took to X and labelled Devine "the biggest cheat" in cricket history and wondered how many batsmen's days "has he ruined?"

Cricket has had its share of scandals, ranging from the so-called "Sandpapergate" ball-tampering episode in 2018 that led to suspensions for three Australian international players, to spot fixing scandals that have led to lengthy bans.

But at the amateur levels of the game, such as this so-called village cricket competition in England, umpires have no access to video replays to make decisions and there's a level of trust required from players when claiming catches.

A cricket umpire could be fooled into calling a player out if they believed they heard the sound of the ball clipping the edge of a bat before being caught.

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn chimed in on X, writing, “That click clown is getting some serious abuse”.

And as the cheating scandal explodes, ‘Clicky Ponting’ is reportedly expected to be suspended by the club.