Clicky Ponting pays a heavy price for a little trick, his club relegated

In cricket, a sharp pair of hands can make all the difference at slip. However, Brian Devine seems to have found other uses for his fingers. Nicknamed ‘Clicky Ponting’, England’s club cricketer has been banned from the sport for two years following a finger-clicking controversy that brought unwanted attention to the world of amateur cricket.

38-year-old Brian Devine was u July at the center of the scandal after footage of a North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League Division 2 match between Saltburn Cricket Club’s Second XI and Norton CC went viral.

The video appeared to show Devine snapping his fingers at slip as the ball missed the bat of Norton batsman Noman Shabir. Goalkeeper Josh Bowes collected the ball and the fielders appealed. The umpire dropped Shabir, who was caught off guard, despite the batter appearing to challenge the decision.

The alleged trick was to imitate the sound of the edge, and other videos of similar incidents subsequently appeared on the Internet. Devine was nicknamed ‘Clicky Ponting’ in reference to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

@Saltburncc First slip snaps fingers to mimic an edge, bat nowhere near and delivers. This is probably the worst case of cheating I have ever seen in cricket. Their guard seems to have a huge number of catches this season. @talkSPORT @bbctms @SkyCricket @TailendersPod Ben Mummery???????? (@ben_mummery) July 27, 2026

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League have launched an investigation into the incidents. Devine was temporarily suspended by Saltburn for the remainder of the 2026 season while the trial took place.

Following interviews with the player, written statements and review of video footage by a three-member disciplinary panel, Devine and Saltburn accepted the misconduct charges. The sanctions were announced on Friday 6 November following an appeal by the club against its original punishment.

WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES?

Devine is banned from all cricket under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board until 29 September 2028. The suspension covers playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams.

Saltburn were also hit with a number of penalties. Their second eleven was relegated from the second division to the third league and will start the 2027 season with a deduction of 60 points. The club was also fined £300.

The decision means Middlesbrough CC’s second eleven, who were previously relegated, will retain their place in Division Two.

In a statement, Saltburn said: “The club has fully participated in the disciplinary process and is accepting the appeal decision following the League’s original decision. Our focus is now on preparing for the 2027 season.”

Meanwhile, the league has acknowledged the strain the controversy has placed on those involved, particularly people who have faced abuse online and in person. She called on the public to respect the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings and added that she would not comment on it further.

The incident attracted attention far beyond the local league, with footage of the alleged cheating circulating widely on social media and prompting reactions from the cricketing fraternity. What started as an unusual sending off in a local club match ended up becoming an international issue.

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