Alleged cricket cheating scandal involving finger-clicking in North Yorkshire league match
Consensus Summary
A viral video of a North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League match between Saltburn 2nd XI and Norton 2nd XI on Saturday 25 July 2026 has sparked outrage over alleged cheating. The footage shows a fielder clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of the ball hitting the bat, leading to a batter being given out despite no contact. The incident, dubbed Clickgate or Clicky Ponting, has been shared millions of times across social media, prompting comparisons to past scandals like Sandpapergate. Saltburn won the game by 159 runs and were leading division two by 17 points. The league has launched a full investigation after a formal complaint, with the player accused, a 38-year-old named Brian Devine, reportedly suspended and facing sponsorship loss. The scandal has divided amateur cricket, with some calling for harsh punishment while others question the loudness of the click being audible from 30 yards away.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A video of a fielder allegedly clicking fingers during a division two match between Saltburn 2nd XI and Norton 2nd XI went viral
- The match in question took place on Saturday 25 July 2026
- The video has been shared more than 3m times (Guardian) and millions of times on X (ABC)
- Saltburn won the game by 159 runs and were top of division two by 17 points
- The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League initiated a full investigation after a formal complaint
- The player accused of clicking his fingers is a 38-year-old named Brian Devine
- The incident is being called 'Clickgate' or 'Clicky Ponting'
- The wicketkeeper in the Saltburn team made eight catches in a previous match (22-run victory against Shildon Railway)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The batter protested to the umpire after being given out, with Saltburn players celebrating
- Ben Mummery posted the viral video and called it 'about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket'
- Rory Cotterill, captain of Middlesbrough CC’s 2nd XI, reported a similar incident in a 29-run defeat to Saltburn in June
- Marcus Trescothick’s 2005 admission of using Murray Mints to retain ball shine was referenced as a past cheating scandal
- The fielder was 30 yards away from the batter when the alleged clicking occurred
- The player lost sponsorship from a local Indian restaurant and was reportedly suspended by his club
- Neal Toulson, a former cricket club chair, stated he had been involved in cricket for more than 50 years
- Shane Rowley, a Shildon Railway player, initially complained about umpiring but later apologized after the Clickgate footage emerged
- Rowley said three players got a nick on the ball before being caught, while others did not
- Piers Morgan called the player the 'biggest cheat in cricket history' and questioned how many batters' days he had ruined
- The video was described as showing 'first slip clicks his fingers to imitate an edge, bat nowhere near it and given out'
- The league did not reveal which teams were involved in the complaint but confirmed an investigation into clicking
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian states the video was shared more than 3m times, while ABC says it was viewed millions of times on X
- The Guardian mentions the video was posted by Ben Mummery, but ABC does not provide a name for the poster
- The Guardian specifies the player is Brian Devine, but ABC does not name the player involved
Source Articles
‘It’s not cricket’: cheating row as ‘Clicky Ponting’ appears to dupe umpire
Viral video apparently shows a Saltburn 2nd XI fielder clicking his fingers to mimic a batter’s nick The ball is bowled, the batter plays a shot and it’s caught by the wicketkeeper to cheers all round. The batter is clearly bemused. Did he hit it? Or … did a fielder click his fingers to mimic a nick? A row has erupted in the normally friendly, if ultra-competitive, world of English club cricket after footage went viral of alleged cheating. Australian cricket will always have Sandpapergate . The
‘It’s just not cricket’: seaside town reacts to ‘Clickgate’ cheating row
Laughter, disbelief and outrage over video appearing to show Saltburn player tricking umpire into giving batters out At the Saltburn over-60s ukulele club there was a unanimous reaction to news that the town’s cricket club were being compared to the Argentina football team: laughter. Then a spirited rendition of I Love to Boogie. On the seafront, a litter-picking volunteer was looking forward to the Wednesday night quiz just to get the gossip. But she had her own view. “All I would say is it’s j
'Biggest cheat in cricket history': Clicking scandal causes outrage
Claims a slips fielder cheated by clicking his fingers as the ball passed the bat in an amateur cricket match leads to an investigation.