Saltburn Cricket Club have suspended the player at the centre of a cheating controversy that has gone viral, amassing over 7.5 million views on social media. The fielder was filmed appearing to click his fingers during a Division Two match against Norton, leading the umpire to give batsman Noman Shabir out caught behind after he played and missed.
Match Details
The video, uploaded on Monday, captured the moment during Saltburn's second XI win in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League. Saltburn currently top Division Two with a 17-point lead and won the match by 159 runs. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with the player dubbed "Clicky Ponting" online.
Club Response
In a statement on social media, Saltburn said: "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."
The club added: "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."
The statement concluded: "We will be making no further comment at this time."
Fallout
Saltburn have confirmed they will not fulfil their second-team fixture against Marton on Wednesday, forfeiting the cup match. The viral clip has been viewed over 7.5 million times on X, with numerous celebrities criticising the conduct.
