Brian Devine, an English amateur cricketer known as "Clicky Ponting" after a viral video showed him clicking his fingers while fielding to deceive umpires, has received a two-year suspension from all cricket under the England and Wales Cricket Board's jurisdiction, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League announced Friday.
Devine's trickery involved clicking his fingers to simulate the sound of a ball nicking the bat on deliveries that the batsman missed and the wicketkeeper caught. A three-person disciplinary panel reviewed video footage, player interviews and written statements before imposing the ban, which runs from September 30, 2026 to September 29, 2028 and covers playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams.
Saltburn Cricket Club, Devine's team, faced separate penalties. The league fined the club 300 pounds ($402.87), relegated its second XI to Division Three and imposed a 60-point deduction for the 2027 season. Devine and Saltburn admitted the charges. Saltburn appealed the sanction but the appeal was denied.
The video went viral earlier this year and drew international attention. The nickname referenced former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting told Reuters he found the controversy amusing but was less pleased about the association with his name. "I had a bit of a chuckle to myself and pretty much forgot about it after that," he said.
The league acknowledged the incident had "placed strain on many people, especially those who were abused online and in person."