‘Clicky Ponting’ suspended as alleged cheating storm erupts after viral video | Cricket | Sport

An amateur cricketer has been suspended by his club after accusations of cheating stemmed from a viral video on social media. The fielder, who plays for Saltburn, was accused of clicking his fingers to secure a dismissal, with footage of multiple incidents being widely shared online. It has been dubbed the ‘Clicky Ponting’ scandal and is causing no shortage of controversy in the world of cricket.

An initial video posted on Monday evening was from Saltburn’s second XI triumph over Norton in Division Two and showed the fielder clicking his fingers as the ball went past the batsman, before being caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes, which convinced the umpire to award the wicket.

Saltburn, who are 17 points clear at the summit of Division Two, secured victory by 159 runs. The club have since confirmed that they will not fulfil their second-team fixture against Marton on Wednesday.

Their second team were scheduled to play Marton in a cup tie but they have now forfeited the game in the wake of the controversial news.

A statement issued on Saltburn’s social media platforms 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.

“Initial discussions have already taken place between club officials and the league.

“This has been a very distressing and stressful experience for all those concerned, and we would ask that this reality is borne in mind and that personal boundaries are respected, as we are an amateur club entirely run by volunteers. We will be making no further comment at this time.”

The footage has since gone viral, amassing millions of views on social media, with a number of well-known figures speaking out to condemn the behaviour on display.