Saltburn Cricket Club’s second team were due to return to action on Wednesday evening after the club was drawn into an alleged cheating scandal, but their cup match against Marton’s second team has now been cancelled. Saltburn have conceded the fixture, with being told the club were unable to get a team together because of the "holiday season".
Earlier on Wednesday morning, the match had been scheduled to go ahead as planned before being called off later in the day. The cancellation came after the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League placed the club under investigation on Monday evening following a complaint made after Saltburn’s second XI victory over Norton in Division 2, with footage from the match spreading widely on social media.
What is at the centre of the controversy?
The focus 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.
Devine had previously played for Pudsey St Lawrence in the Bradford Cricket League. Since the original video was posted, other videos involving Saltburn and Devine from previous matches have also been posted, with similar incidents being alleged.
The original video has now been viewed more than seven and a half million times on X, and Devine has been dubbed "Clicky Ponting" on social media. The BBC has approached Devine for comment.
What happened at the meeting on Tuesday night?
A meeting on Tuesday night was held between Saltburn, the league and legal representatives, although any outcomes from that meeting have not yet been 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 Marton in a first-round match in the Division Two Hundred competition, a 100-ball-per-side format similar to The Hundred. That match has now been conceded by Saltburn.
Key Facts
- Saltburn’s second team were due to play Marton’s second team on Wednesday evening.
- The match was cancelled after Saltburn conceded the fixture.
- was told Saltburn could not get a team together due to the "holiday season".
- The club is under investigation by the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League.
- The controversy centres on Brian Devine and a viral video from Saltburn’s Division 2 win over Norton.
