Table of Contents
During an English club cricket match, a player named Brian Devine was involved in a strange incident, named ‘Clicky Ponting’ scandal. The English cricketer has been caught cheating and has been handed a suspension after a bizarre incident that not only shook English cricket but also international cricket. His club has also been fined for the incident.
This is not the first time that Brian Devine has been in the headlines; previously, in July, the same incident happened when he made a sound with his hand while fielding in the slip cordon. As soon as the ball passed the bat, he used to clip his fingers to make a sound, just as the ball might have edged the bat and gone to the wicketkeeper.
Brian Devine caught for ‘Clicky Ponting’ scandal
Now, as per FOX Sports, the English cricketer has been caught while featuring for Saltburn’s second XI in England’s North Yorkshire and South Durham League, clicking his fingers to trick umpires into giving batters out caught behind, as the fielders used to appeal and the umpire used to give out in such incidents without other options.
The cricketer reportedly had been banned from cricket for two years. Now he will not be able to feature in the game under the jurisdiction of the ECB, running from September 30, 2026 to September 29, 2028, and covering playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring, and managing junior teams. Brian Devine was first caught doing this back in July 2026.
Saltburn takes action, but gets relegated to division three
Saltburn club has already suspended the player and has informed the public that he will never play for the club again. In spite of taking action against the player, the ECB has taken action against the club, with its second team relegated to the third division. This saved Middlesbrough CC’s second team from relegation, while Saltburn will begin the 2027 season with a 60-point deduction.
“The club fully participated in the disciplinary proceedings and accept the decision of the appeal following the original decision from the League. We are now focusing on preparations for the 2027 season,” Saltburn CC said.
Opponent cricketers and Piers Morgan unhappy with Brian Devine's ‘Clicky Ponting’ scandal
Previously, when the incident happened back in July, several opponents and rival players weighed in, bashing Brian Devine for his deeds. Even famous TV host Piers Morgan tweeted and stated it was an unbelievable incident. “Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history,” he wrote.
“From all the evidence, he’s done it to all the clubs in pretty much every game. Interestingly, when he got found out, and the clicking stopped, the wickets also stopped for a long time,” a rival player wrote according to the Sun.
Another rival player weighed in: “It’s clear what’s been happening, and it’s not confined to one game. I was at the other end when one of our players was dismissed, but our batsman was adamant he was nowhere near the ball. We had three given out caught behind that day, and all of them said they hadn’t touched the ball.”
