A video appearing to show a Saltburn second XI fielder clicking his fingers to imitate the sound of the ball edging the bat has gone viral, drawing laughter and outrage in the seaside town. The incident, dubbed 'Clickgate', occurred during a match against Norton second XI on Saturday.
Local reactions mix humour and disappointment
At the Saltburn over-60s ukulele club, the news was met with laughter and a rendition of 'I Love to Boogie'. A litter-picking volunteer said it was 'just not cricket', while retired steelworker Bill Peters, who grew up playing in St Lucia, said there 'would have been a big fight' there. The clip has been viewed more than 7m times, making headlines worldwide including in Australia, where one wit on Facebook called Saltburn 'the Argentina of local cricket'.
League investigates, players speak out
Neither Saltburn nor Norton have commented, but the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League is investigating. When the Guardian visited the cricket club, no one wanted to talk. Tennis players on adjacent courts burst out laughing. Pete Welsh, a retired teacher and litter-picking volunteer, said the alleged act was 'not very gentleman-like'. Commentator Jonathan Agnew told BBC Breakfast he couldn't wrap his head around the click being heard from 30 yards away.
Shane Rowley, who played for Shildon Railway second XI in Saltburn's previous match, believes he was a victim of clicking during that game. Rowley said he initially complained about poor umpiring after his team's wicketkeeper made eight catches, but after Clickgate footage emerged he rang an umpiring official to apologise. 'I said, can I just retract what I said earlier in the week and apologise,' Rowley told the Guardian. He said three of his teammates who were caught did nick the ball, but others were 'absolutely fuming' because they had not.
Broader concerns about gamesmanship
Ian Palmer, chair of Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club, called the alleged cheating 'scandalous' and said 'it is just not on really'. The player involved, identified as 38-year-old company secretary Brian Devine, has lost sponsorship from a local Indian restaurant and is reportedly suspended by his club; he did not respond to an approach for comment. Neal Toulson, former chair of Thornaby Cricket Club, said the allegations reflect a wider malaise in cricket, with more gamesmanship and sledging than in the past. He called for a full investigation and said if cheating is found, 'the guy should be punished' as 'it's worse than swearing'.
