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Finger-clicking scandal erupts
Saltburn Cricket Club suspended Brian Devine for the "foreseeable future" after a complaint to the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League over an alleged finger-clicking incident in a second XI Division 2 match against Norton.
The BBC said Devine was alleged to have clicked his fingers as the ball passed the bat of Norton's Noman Shabir, with the wicketkeeper Josh Bowes taking the catch and the wicket being given following an appeal.
The Herald Sun reported that outrage began after clips appeared to show Devine clicking his fingers to fake wickets during a league match for Saltburn in North Yorkshire, with the controversy sparked by a clip posted by amateur cricketer Ben Mummery.
Saltburn’s second XI then conceded a cup match against Marton’s second XI after telling BBC Sport they could not get enough players due to the "holiday season".
The Northern Echo said Saltburn went on to win the Norton match by 159 runs and left their Second XI 17 points clear at the top of the NYSD Division Two table.
Clubs, fans, and league
Saltburn’s statement to the BBC said the club was "fully investigating with the NYSD's" investigation, while the club also told the BBC it was treating the complaint "with the utmost seriousness" as a family-centric club.
The Northern Echo reported that the viral footage sparked a furious reaction from famous figures including Steve Harmison and Jonathan Agnew, and it said other players from the NYSD League came forward with suggestions the same thing had happened in games involving their own team.
The Herald Sun said Saltburn Cricket Club described the scandal as "a very distressing and stressful experience" and said it was fully cooperating with the league’s investigation.
The BBC noted that the league, Norton and the England and Wales Cricket Board all declined to comment on the incident, and it said a meeting on Tuesday night was held between Saltburn, the league and legal representatives.
The Telegraph reported that the NYSD confirmed it was investigating after footage emerged showing the slip fielder for Saltburn’s second XI appearing to click his fingers to trick umpires into thinking there was an edge off the bat.
What happens next
The North Yorkshire and South Durham League said it had received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday 25 July 2026, and it said "A full investigation has been initiated" with no further comment until processes were complete.
“- Published The Saltburn player at the centre of an alleged cheating scandal has been suspended by the club for the "foreseeable future"”
The Herald Sun said disciplinary options could include kicking Saltburn out of the league, and it also said other sanctions could involve handing out lifetime bans or suspensions for individual players or whole teams.
The BBC reported that Saltburn’s second team were due to play against Marton in a first-round match in the Division Two Hundred competition, a 100-ball-per-side format akin to The Hundred, but Saltburn conceded the match at around lunchtime.
The BBC also said Spices owner Akmol Hussain told BBC Sport that the restaurant has only ever sponsored the club rather than any individual players and is happy to continue doing so, pending the investigation.
The Telegraph added that Devine works for Northallerton Auctions Limited, a livestock auction house and estate agents, where he is company secretary, and it said he was nicknamed "Clicky Ponting" after former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
