'Clicky Ponting', Man Behind UK Cheating Scandal, Exposed. Indian Restaurant Withdraws Sponsorship
With the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League currently investigating the matter, Saltburn player Brian Devine has come under scrutiny after he was seen allegedly clicking his fingers in the viral clip.
The viral cheating scandal in English club cricket has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. A video circulating on social media appeared to show a fielder from Saltburn Cricket Club's Second XI clicking his fingers to imitate the sound of a bat edge, resulting in batters being given out caught behind despite there being no contact between the bat and the ball. 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.
@Saltburncc First slip clicks his fingers to imitate an edge, bat nowhere near it and given out.
— Ben Mummery (@ben_mummery) July 27, 2026
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
With the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League currently investigating the matter, Saltburn player Brian Devine has come under scrutiny after he was seen allegedly clicking 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.
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.
Renowned TV host Piers Morgan took to X (formerly Twitter) and labelled Devine "the biggest cheat" in cricket history.
What Does the League Say?
"Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history," he wrote.
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
"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.
What Does the League Say?
As the allegations continued to pile up, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League stepped in and announced that a formal investigation had been launched into the incident.
"The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday," the league said. "A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made."