"Clicky Ponting" Cricketer Banned for Two Years
A local cricket row that went global has ended with real penalties. Brian Devine, 38, the club player nicknamed "Clicky Ponting", is banned from all cricket for two years, and his team, Saltburn CC's 2nd XI, has been relegated.
A ban that reaches beyond playing
Devine is shut out of every form of cricket run under the England and Wales Cricket Board. The ban lasts until the end of the 2028 season. It covers "playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams".
Devine and Saltburn CC both accepted the misconduct charges. The sanctions came out on Friday.
What it costs Saltburn
The club's 2nd XI goes down to Division Three of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League (NYSDCL). It starts the 2027 season on a 60-point deduction. Saltburn CC also has to pay a £300 fine, a penalty set after an appeal over its sanction.
Middlesbrough CC, which was relegated earlier, stays in Division Two.
How the case was decided
A three-person disciplinary panel looked at the evidence. It held player interviews, read written statements and reviewed the footage.
The footage that began it
In July, video from a Division Two match went viral. Devine is seen clicking his fingers while fielding. The click fooled the umpire into thinking a Norton CC batter had caught an edge behind.
The nickname nods to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Saltburn suspended Devine on a provisional basis for the rest of the 2026 season while the league investigated. More clips of the practice surfaced and spread widely online.
What the league and the club said
The NYSDCL issued a statement meant to close the matter. It said the case had weighed heavily on a volunteer-run club that faced widespread condemnation and global headlines.
The league added that it "recognises the strain this has placed on many people, especially those who were abused online and in person". It asked everyone to respect that the formal process is complete.
Saltburn said it fully took part in the proceedings and accepts the outcome of the appeal. It says its attention now turns to preparing for the 2027 season.
Source: The Guardian