Club cricketer "Clicky Ponting" banned two years; Saltburn 2nd XI relegated

Brian Devine, 38, has been banned from cricket for two years after a viral incident in which he clicked his fingers in the field to fool an umpire, The Guardian reports. The ban runs until the end of the 2028 season and applies to all cricket under the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The ban covers "playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams", according to The Guardian.

Devine plays for Saltburn CC's 2nd XI. In July, footage went viral showing him making the clicking sound, which led the umpire to believe a Norton CC batter had edged the ball to the wicketkeeper. The match was in the second tier of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League. He was nicknamed "Clicky Ponting" online. Al Jazeera describes him as an amateur cricketer.

The Guardian reports that Saltburn CC appealed their sanction. They were fined £300 and the 2nd XI was relegated to Division Three of the league. The team will also begin the 2027 season with a 60-point deduction. Middlesbrough CC, which had already been relegated, stays in Division Two, The Guardian says.