Clicky Ponting: English Club cricketer Brian Devine named in finger-clicking probe
The club cricketer at the centre of the “Clicky Ponting” cheating scandal in England’s northeast can be named as Brian Devine.
Saltburn Cricket Club are under investigation by the North Yorkshire and South Durham League (NYSD) after footage emerged on Monday, showing the slip fielder for their second XI, now revealed to be Devine, appearing to click his fingers to trick umpires into thinking there was an edge off the bat.
The initial footage was from last weekend’s NYSD match against Norton CC, with Noman Shabir, the batsman, given out caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes off the bowling of Sam Morrison. The ball passes close to the bat, with the slip fielder appearing to click his fingers. The umpire gives it out, but Shabir is unhappy with the decision, believing he has not hit the ball.
Saltburn won the match by 159 runs and currently top the league.
But the controversy took a further twist when different footage from Saltburn’s previous matches appeared to show the same issue.
Scorecards and videos of dismissals are available on the website Play Cricket. The matches are also live-streamed.
Past scorecards reveal that when Devine plays, Saltburn’s wicketkeeper takes more catches. In 13 matches across 2026 with Devine in the side, Saltburn’s keeper has taken 39 catches. In seven matches without Devine, the wicketkeeper has taken five.
The scorecard from the previous weekend’s match against Shildon Railway CC shows that Saltburn seconds’ wicketkeeper took eight catches, and he appears to be averaging almost four per match in his eight games this season.
Devine has been nicknamed “Clicky Ponting” – a nod to the former Australian captain Ricky Ponting – and works for Northallerton Auctions Limited, a livestock auction house and estate agents, where he is company secretary.
On his company profile, Devine is said to be “a native Teessider, recently returned to area having spent the previous nine years in Leeds”.
It adds he has “a strong background in financial management built up from a wealth of industry sectors”.
Devine’s actions were largely condemned by cricket fans including Piers Morgan.
The broadcaster posted on social media: “Outrageous cheating, and just the tip of the iceberg from all that’s come out since it was exposed. Clicky Ponting (as he is now known) and various team-mates at Saltburn CC, have clearly been at this shameful scam for years. Imagine doing this in local amateur cricket? Pathetic.”
The NYSD confirmed that it was investigating the matter. In a statement to Telegraph Sport, 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.”
The incident provoked a fierce reaction on social media. Ben Mummery, the X user who first brought the incident to light, described it as “the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket”.
Rory Cotterill, who had captained Middlesbrough CC’s second XI in a 29-run defeat against Saltburn in June, alleged that there were two further incidents in that match, both involving teenage batsmen.
Cotterill posted: “Boro 2s [captain] here, was two more incidents during this game, leading to a 15- and 16-year-old being cheated out of an innings, along with this one. I was at the non-strikers end at the time unknowingly watching them cheat in real time. We lost this game by 29 runs. Shocking.”
In response to Cotterill’s message, another video was posted that appeared to show Devine doing the same when stood at silly point.
Saltburn CC were approached for comment, as was Devine. Neither have responded at the time of publishing.
Devine, a 38-year-old father of one, is a veteran club cricketer who has also played for Pudsey St Lawrence CC in the Bradford Premier League during a stint living in Yorkshire.
His mother-in-law, Georgina Vaughan, told the Daily Mail that Devine was a “man of integrity”.
She said: “It was only a little village cricket match and now it’s become this thing that’s all over the news and social media.
“It has got totally out of hand and there is nothing that any of us want to say.”
The owner of the Indian restaurant, Spices, who sponsor Devine to the tune of £1000 ($2300) per season (as well as a discount), was left “disgusted” by the incident.
Akmol Hussain told the Mail: “It’s not the biggest sponsorship deal in sport but that’s not the point. I’m a huge cricket fan and what’s happened is very bad. It’s not in the spirit of this gentleman’s game.
“It’s not what I expect from Brian, or the club and I want nothing to do with them from now. I love cricket and even used to play for fun but I’m too old now.
“I’m very shocked and disgusted by this video and can’t believe that Brian would do something like this. I’ve met him many times, but he has damaged the reputation of cricket and my restaurant.”
– Daily Telegraph UK