3 min readJul 29, 2026 07:30 AM IST
The video which is going viral says it all. With the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps, a batsman plays and misses the ball. The keeper catches it and the fielders around the batsman start celebrating as the umpire raises his finger. The bemused batsman shakes his head and points to the slip fielder, but the marching orders are already out. Did the batsman actually hit it or the slip fielder click his fingers to mimic the nick sound?
It is the question that will need answers in the coming days. A cheating row has erupted in England’s club cricket with The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League promising a full-fledged investigation after the video went viral. The slip fielder Brian Devine, who is accused of allegedly mimicking the sound, is now being dubbed as Clicky Ponting.
Saltburn CC beat Norton CC by 159 runs in their second XI fixture last week and since then several videos have shown a similar trend for caught-behind and close-in catches involving ‘Clicky Ponting’ who clicks his fingers when the ball goes close to the bat.
Taking to X, Ben Mummery posted: “@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.”
@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
Soon after Mummery posted it and the video went viral, others too posted videos and scorecards emphasising this was not an isolated incident.
According a report on Reuters, in Saltburn’s previous match against Shildon Railway CC, the second XI wicketkeeper took eight catches — which is more than the Test record of seven — and has been averaging almost four per match in his eight games this season.
Talking to Guardian, Rory Cotterill, who captained Middlesbrough CC’s 2nd XI in a 29-run defeat to Saltburn in June, said a similar situation had occurred in that match. He shared a video allegedly showing the same player clicking his fingers with commenters describing it as scandalous.
Another user on X put up an analysis that showed Saltburn had accounted for 39 wicket-keeper catches when Devine was part of the XI. In the five matches without him, there were only five such modes of dismissals.
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North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League said in a statement: “The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a division two game on Saturday 25 July 2026.
“A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”
