Cricketer at centre of ‘Clicky Ponting’ cheating scandal suspended by club

Brian Devine, the cricketer nicknamed “Clicky Ponting” for clicking his fingers to deceive umpires, has been suspended indefinitely by his disgraced club Saltburn.

A social media frenzy erupted this week after footage, from the Play Cricket website, appeared to show Saltburn’s second-team player Devine clicking his fingers at slip as the ball passed a batsman’s bat on the way to the wicketkeeper’s gloves. The umpire fell for the ruse and gave the batsman out.

From there, further footage and testimony of similar incidents involving the Saltburn second XI emerged. Widespread condemnation from the cricket community and a North Yorkshire and South Durham League investigation followed. Saltburn won Saturday’s match by 159 runs and sit top of the league, with Josh Bowes, their wicketkeeper, a prolific taker of catches.

Saltburn made no comment initially, but confirmed on Wednesday they were “treating this allegation with the utmost seriousness” and had suspended Devine.

Saltburn had already conceded the second-team fixture they had scheduled for Wednesday evening, against Marton.

A club statement said: “This is issued in response to the widely publicised complaint made against a Saltburn Cricket Club member and, as a consequence, against the club more generally.

“We are treating this allegation with the utmost seriousness and, as a family-centric club, we are fully cooperating with the NYSD League’s investigation.

“We believe that the club acted decisively as soon as the complaint and investigation were made known to us. The player at the centre of the complaint has been suspended and will not play again for the club this season or in the foreseeable future, pending the outcome of this investigation.

“Initial discussions have already taken place between club officials and the league.

“This has been a very distressing and stressful experience for all those concerned, and we would ask that this reality is borne in mind and that personal boundaries are respected, as we are an amateur club entirely run by volunteers.

“We will be making no further comment at this time.”

The NYSD investigation is still ongoing. In a statement it said: “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.”

Devine, a veteran club cricketer, has also been dropped by his sponsor, an Indian restaurant. The owner of the Indian restaurant Spices said he was left “disgusted” by the incident.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]