English club cricket has found itself at the centre of an unexpected global controversy after a viral video from a North Yorkshire and South Durham (NYSD) Cricket League Division Two match sparked allegations of cheating.
The incident, which has since been dubbed the "Clickgate" or "Clicky Ponting" scandal, occurred during a match between Saltburn Cricket Club 2nd XI and Norton Cricket Club 2nd XI. Saltburn slip fielder Brian Devine is accused of snapping his fingers as a delivery passed Norton batter Noman Shabir's bat, allegedly creating a sound resembling a faint edge. The wicketkeeper completed the catch, the fielding side appealed, and the umpire gave the batter out.
With no Decision Review System (DRS), UltraEdge or Snickometer available in amateur league cricket, umpires rely solely on what they see and hear, making the alleged tactic particularly controversial. The NYSD Cricket League has since confirmed it has received a formal complaint and launched an investigation into the matter.
Allegations And The Catch Statistics
As the clip spread across social media, attention quickly shifted to Saltburn's wicketkeeping numbers. The club's wicketkeeper, Josh Bowes, recorded 31 catches in just eight league matches this season, an unusually high tally that prompted further scrutiny after the viral dismissal.
One innings, in particular, stood out, with Bowes taking eight catches against Shildon Railway CC. The figure attracted attention because it exceeds the record for the most catches by a wicketkeeper in a single innings of a men's Test match, which stands at seven.
Further claims have also emerged from rival clubs, with Middlesbrough 2nd XI captain Rory Cotterill alleging that similar incidents occurred when his side faced Saltburn earlier in the season. Reports have also noted that livestreams of several previous Saltburn matches were later removed from the club's official channels, although no link between those removals and the allegations has been established.
Why Is It Called 'Clicky Ponting'?
The controversy has generated one of cricket's most unusual nicknames.
Fans on social media coined the term "Clicky Ponting" by replacing "Ricky" with "Clicky" to reference the alleged finger snap that mimicked the sound of a bat edge.
The second half of the nickname is a tongue-in-cheek reference to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who was often portrayed by rival fans, particularly in England during the Ashes, as a fiercely competitive cricketer willing to push gamesmanship to its limits. The nickname does not suggest Ponting was involved in the incident, but instead draws on his long-standing reputation as a polarising figure during his playing days.
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Cricket World Reacts
The viral clip has prompted strong reactions from current and former players, broadcasters and cricket fans worldwide.
Cheating level pro max
— ηᎥ†Ꭵղ (@nkk_123) July 28, 2026
A club cricketer in England clicked his fingers to simulate a nick to the keeper. Bat nowhere near the ball but the Umpire heard the sound and gave it out. The English spirit of cricket on display. pic.twitter.com/koU7Mhmkki
Australian cricket podcast The Grade Cricketer also joined the online pile-on, taking a tongue-in-cheek approach by joking that "fooling and intimidating a senior citizen into a decision is one of the greatest satisfactions you can have in the game."
The worst case of cheating in cricket, allegedly pic.twitter.com/O411A0nM4G
— The Grade Cricketer (@gradecricketer) July 28, 2026
Broadcaster Piers Morgan weighed in on the controversy, calling the alleged act "unbelievable" and describing the player at the centre of the incident as "the biggest cheat in cricket history."
Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history. How long has he been doing this? How many batsmen's days has he ruined? https://t.co/XptHEfE9uo
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 28, 2026
A close-up video shared by local cricketer Ben Mummery appeared to show the alleged finger-clicking incident more clearly, with Mummery describing it as "about the worst case of cheating" he had witnessed on a cricket field.
@Saltburncc First slip clicks his fingers to imitate an edge, bat nowhere near it and given out.
— Ben Mummery (@ben_mummery) July 27, 2026
This is about the worst case of cheating I've ever seen in cricket.
Apparently, their keeper has a huge amount of catches this season.@talkSPORT @bbctms @SkyCricket @TailendersPod pic.twitter.com/iM7lZfKF5q
The "Clicky Ponting" saga also inspired humorous data analysis on social media, with users analysing Saltburn's scorecards and comparing matches featuring Devine against those without him as the controversy continued to gather momentum.
The Saltburn saga gets a new angle.. data analysis of games with Clicky Ponting at slip and games without
— Erika Morris (@ErikaMorris79) July 28, 2026
😂
Days like this make this app worthwhile.
Max is going gods work here 👌 https://t.co/xlVQjVEC9o
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