‘Clicky Ponting’ handed two-year suspension over cricket cheating scandal

Amateur cricketer caught clicking his fingers while fielding to trick umpire into thinking the batsman had edged the ball.

The English amateur cricketer who went viral ⁠for finger-clicking trickery ⁠has been handed a two-year suspension, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has said.

The fielder Brian Devine, dubbed “Clicky Ponting” on ⁠social media in a nod to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, was accused of tricking umpires by clicking his fingers to make the ⁠sound of a ball nicking the bat as deliveries were missed and caught by the wicketkeeper.

The video footage went viral on social media and made international headlines earlier this year. A three-person disciplinary panel reviewed the ‌footage and considered player interviews and written statements before imposing the ban.

“The player concerned is suspended from all cricket under the ECB’s [the England and Wales Cricket Board] jurisdiction for two years, from 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2028. This covers playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams,” the NYSDL said in a statement on Friday.

Additionally, Saltburn ⁠Cricket Club have been fined 300 pounds ($402.87) and ⁠their second XI has been relegated to Division Three of the NYSDCL and will start the 2027 season with a 60-point deduction, the league added.

Devine and Saltburn admitted the charges, but the club appealed against their sanction.

Saltburn said in a statement reported on gazettelive.co.uk: “The club fully participated in the disciplinary proceedings and accept the decision of the appeal following the original decision from the league.”

In a statement to the Press Association, the league said, “The league recognises the strain this has placed on many people, especially those who were abused online and in person.

“We ask everyone to respect that the formal process is now complete. The league will make no further comment.”

Ricky Ponting, who led Australia to two 50-over World Cup titles, told the Reuters news agency that he found ⁠the controversy amusing, although he was less ⁠impressed that his name had become associated with the player.

“I had a bit of a chuckle to myself and pretty much forgot about it after that,” he said in an ‌interview earlier this year.

“I guess it wasn’t a nice thing to have my name associated with someone who’s blatantly cheating but … honestly I ‌had ‌a laugh and a joke about it.”