Saltburn player suspended and match conceded
Saltburn Cricket Club has suspended a player at the centre of alleged cheating accusations, with the club announcing the individual will not play again for the foreseeable future. This decision follows an investigation launched by the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League into claims of a player clicking fingers to deceive umpires during a match. The club’s second team also conceded their scheduled cup match against Marton’s second team on Wednesday.
The club stated that it is treating the allegation with “utmost seriousness” and is fully cooperating with the league’s investigation. A statement from Saltburn indicated that the club acted decisively once the complaint and investigation became known. The suspended player will not participate for the club for the remainder of this season or in the foreseeable future, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
The conceded fixture was a first-round match in the Division Two Hundred competition, a 100-ball-per-side format. Saltburn reportedly could not assemble a team for the match due to the “holiday season.”
Allegations and social media reaction
The controversy stems from footage of an alleged finger-clicking incident during a Division Two match between Saltburn and Norton Cricket Club on a Saturday. The video, which has garnered over seven and a half million views on social media platform X, shows a Saltburn slip fielder allegedly clicking his fingers as the ball passed an opponent’s bat. This action, some users suggest, was intended to mimic the sound of an edge.
The clip further depicts Saltburn’s wicketkeeper catching the ball behind the stumps, followed by an appeal to the umpire, who subsequently gave the batter out. The player at the centre of the complaint, Brian Devine, has been referred to as ‘Clicky Ponting’ on social media, a reference to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Following the initial video, other footage involving Saltburn and Devine from previous matches has also surfaced, alleging similar incidents. Middlesbrough second XI captain Rory Cotterill claimed that two additional incidents occurred during a game between his side and Saltburn in June. The original poster of the video described the incident as “about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket.”
The incident has sparked widespread discussion within the cricketing world. England and Somerset’s Tom Banton commented on the situation, describing the alleged action as “kind of clever” but ultimately “not acceptable.” He added that “something is going to be done about it because I’m not sure it’s in the rules of cricket.”
League investigation and club’s standing
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League confirmed it has received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in the Division Two game and has initiated a full investigation. The league stated that no further comment would be made until the formal processes are complete. A meeting was held on Tuesday night involving Saltburn, the league, and legal representatives, though the outcomes of this meeting have not yet been made public.
Saltburn Cricket Club, Norton, the league, and the England and Wales Cricket Board have all declined to comment on the specific incident. Despite the ongoing investigation, Saltburn currently holds the top position in the Division Two league table, having won 10 of their 15 matches this season.
The team’s wicketkeeper also leads the league in fielding dismissals, with 34, of which 31 were catches behind the stumps. Earlier in July, Saltburn secured a 22-run victory against Shildon Railway Cricket Club, a match where their wicketkeeper took eight catches.
Source: bbc.com
Freya Donnelly is the Sports Reporter at News-UK, covering tennis, cricket and athletics with seven years of reporting experience. She reported on Team GB through an Olympic cycle. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Brighton and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Brighton, she plays club cricket in the summer. “Listening is the most underrated skill in sports reporting.”
