A viral video has sparked a cheating scandal in English club cricket, with a fielder accused of clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of a nick, potentially duping the umpire. The incident occurred during a division two match between Saltburn 2nd XI and Norton 2nd XI in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League on Saturday 25 July 2026.
Incident Details
The video, posted on social media, shows a Saltburn fielder apparently clicking his fingers as the batter plays a shot. The wicketkeeper then takes the catch, and Saltburn players celebrate, but the batter appears bemused and protests to the umpire. Ben Mummery, who posted the video, described it as "about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket" and said the wicketkeeper has "a huge amount of catches this season." The footage has been shared more than 3 million times, sparking widespread debate.
League Investigation
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League confirmed receipt of a formal complaint and initiated a full investigation. In a statement, the league said: "The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a division two game on Saturday 25 July 2026. A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made." Saltburn won the match by 159 runs and currently top division two by 17 points. The club has been approached for comment.
Previous Allegations
Rory Cotterill, captain of Middlesbrough CC’s 2nd XI, reported a similar incident during a match against Saltburn in June, sharing a video allegedly showing the same player clicking his fingers. Commenters described it as scandalous. The controversy has been dubbed "clickgate" or "Clicky Ponting," a reference to former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
Historical Context
Cricket has a history of cheating scandals, most notably Sandpapergate in 2018, when Australia's Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to rough up the ball during a Test match against South Africa. In his autobiography, England cricketer Marcus Trescothick admitted using Murray Mints during the 2005 Ashes to produce saliva that helped retain the ball's shine, which some interpreted as ball-tampering.
