Saltburn Cricket Club: Saltburn concede match following ‘finger-clicking’ claim

Following the furore surrounding Saltburn Cricket Club amid an alleged cheating scandal, the club’s second team were due to return to action on Wednesday evening.

But that match, a cup game against Marton’s second team, has now been cancelled.

Saltburn have conceded the fixture, with BBC Sport being told Saltburn were unable to get a team together due to the “holiday season”.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the match had been scheduled to go ahead as planned but was later cancelled.

On Monday evening, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League placed the club under investigation following a complaint made after their second XI victory over Norton in Division 2. Footage of the match went viral on social media.

At the heart of the controversy is Saltburn batter Brian Devine, who is alleged to have clicked his finger at the exact moment the ball passed Norton batter Noman Shabir’s bat and the ball was caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes. Following an appeal to the umpire, the wicket was given.

Since that video was posted, other videos involving Saltburn and Devine from previous matches have also been posted alleging similar incidents.

The original video has received over seven and a half million views on X and Devine has been dubbed as ‘Clicky Ponting’ on social media. The BBC has approached Devine for comment.

A meeting on Tuesday night was held between Saltburn, the league and legal representatives though any outcomes from that meeting are yet to be made public.

The league, Saltburn, Norton and the England and Wales Cricket Board have all declined to comment on the incident.

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.