The cricketer at the centre of the ‘Clicky Ponting’ cheating allegations has been suspended and will not play again “for the foreseeable future”, the club have announced.
Saltburn Cricket Club is under investigation by the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League amid cheating accusations against one of their players.
Saltburn, who have made national headlines, were due to face Marton Cricket Club on Wednesday but have conceded the contest.
It comes after footage of an alleged finger-clicking incident, which took place in a Division Two match between Saltburn and Norton Cricket Club on Saturday, went viral on social media.
The clip has over 7.5m views and the scandal has been dubbed ‘Clicky Ponting’, after the former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting.
Some users have suggested the fielder, seen standing at slip, clicks his fingers as the ball passes an opponent’s bat to imitate the noise of an edge.
The clip shows Saltburn’s wicketkeeper then catching the ball behind the stumps. The team appeals to the umpire, who gives the batter out.
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League says it has launched an investigation into the matter.
A statement released on Saltburn’s social media channels read: “This is issued in response to the widely publicised complaint made against a Saltburn Cricket Club member and, as a consequence, against the club more generally.
“We are treating this allegation with the utmost seriousness and, as a family-centric club, we are fully cooperating with the NYS League’s investigation.
“We believe that the club acted decisively as soon as the complaint and investigation were made known to us. The player at the centre of the complaint has been suspended and will not play again for the club this season or in the foreseeable future, pending the outcome of this investigation.”
The player in question, when contacted by the Daily Mail, said: “Naturally, I cannot comment on that. I also cannot answer any questions because I am currently at work.”
“The League have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday,” a statement from North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League said.
“A full investigation has been initiated, and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”
Saltburn currently sit top of the Division Two league table having won 10 of their 15 matches this season.
The team’s wicketkeeper also leads the league for the most fielding dismissals – 34, of which 31 came from catches behind the stumps.
Earlier in July, Saltburn secured a 22-run victory against Shildon Railway Cricket Club, a match in which their wicketkeeper took eight catches. No Test wicketkeeper has taken more than seven catches in an innings.
After the video surfaced on social media, Middlesbrough second XI captain Rory Cotterill alleged that two further incidents had taken place during a game between his side and Saltburn in June.
Banton: ‘Clicky Ponting’ kind of clever but not acceptable
The story has engulfed the cricketing world, with discussions raging about what the next steps will be.
For England and Somerset’s Tom Banton, while it is a “clever” way of cricket it is not one that can be justified.
“It’s interesting, kind of clever in a way. But I cannot vouch for things like that, it’s not acceptable,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s been caught out and something is going to be done about it because I’m not sure it’s in the rules of cricket.”
