League bans amateur cricketer Brian Devine two years over finger-clicking; Saltburn CC fined £300

As reported by Al Jazeera, BBC Sport and The Guardian (Sport). The allegations below are theirs, not Vocemundi's.

The North Yorkshire and South Durham (NYSD) Cricket League has suspended amateur cricketer Brian Devine for two years. The ban applies to all cricket under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board. It covers playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams.

The league statement quoted by Al Jazeera says the suspension runs from 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2028.

Devine has been dubbed "Clicky Ponting", a reference to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Saltburn CC has been fined £300. Its second XI has been relegated to Division Three and will start the 2027 season with a 60-point deduction. As a result, Middlesbrough's second XI keeps its place in Division Two.

Devine and Saltburn CC both admitted the charges, which The Guardian describes as misconduct charges. Saltburn appealed against its sanction and has said it accepts the appeal decision.

Al Jazeera, BBC Sport and The Guardian all report these sanctions, and each quotes a league statement.

How the case developed

Footage from a Division Two match in July between Saltburn's second XI and Norton went viral on social media. Devine was seen clicking his fingers in the field as the ball passed the batter. BBC Sport's description is that he "appears to" click his fingers.

According to BBC Sport, Devine was fielding at slip. It reports that the ball passed the bat of Noman Shabir before wicketkeeper Josh Bowes caught it. Saltburn appealed and the umpire gave Shabir out.

The league said it received complaints in late July and opened an investigation with Saltburn's co-operation. It said the inquiry "ran over several weeks and included player interviews, written statements and a detailed review of video footage." A three-person disciplinary panel reviewed the footage.

The Guardian reports that Saltburn provisionally suspended Devine for the rest of the 2026 season during the investigation. It also reports that further examples of the practice circulated widely online.

According to BBC Sport, Devine accepted his punishment and was the only player sanctioned.

What each side says

• The league: It said it "recognises the strain this has placed on many people, especially those who were abused online and in person". It added: "We ask everyone to respect that the formal process is now complete." According to BBC Sport, the league believed other Saltburn team members were involved and confirmed receiving complaints about multiple matches.
• Saltburn CC: The club said it "fully participated in the disciplinary proceedings". It added: "We are now focussing on preparations for the 2027 season."
• Ricky Ponting: Al Jazeera quoted him as telling Reuters earlier this year: "I guess it wasn’t a nice thing to have my name associated with someone who’s blatantly cheating but … honestly I had a laugh and a joke about it."

What the reports do not include

BBC Sport said it had contacted Saltburn CC and Devine for comment, but the reports include no comment from Devine. They do not describe Saltburn's original sanction or say whether the appeal changed it. They do not say whether the Saltburn v Norton result was affected, or explain why no other players were sanctioned. They also do not explain how The Guardian's description of the ban as lasting until the end of the 2028 season relates to the 29 September 2028 end date.

Vocemundi note: this story relays allegations published by Al Jazeera, BBC Sport and The Guardian (Sport). Vocemundi did not have access to the underlying evidence or documents and has not independently verified these claims. The people and organisations named are presumed innocent; their response is included where it was available.

Analysis

The case shows how a clip from an amateur match can spread far beyond a local league and lead to wider scrutiny. Some may view the penalties as a clear deterrent, while others may ask why only one player was sanctioned when the league believed others were involved. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not answer that question. With the league saying it will make no further comment, some details may remain unclear. Other amateur competitions could review how they handle video evidence and protect people from abuse, though no such moves are reported.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.