THE cricket player accused of clicking his fingers to fake wickets has been pictured for the first time.
A cricket league in the North of England has been thrown into turmoil after claims fielders clicked their fingers to trick umpires into believing batsmen had edged the ball.
Brian Devine is at the heart of a scandal accusing players of clicking their fingers to fake wickets Credit: X
Footage of the alleged incident sparked a social media storm Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Footage of the alleged incident sparked a social media storm after a player was accused of using the bizarre tactic to cheat.
The video appears to show Saltburn 2nd XI slip fielder Brian Devine clicking his fingers moments before wicketkeeper Josh Bowes takes a catch against Norton 2nd XI.
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Despite the ball appearing to miss the bat by some distance, the Saltburn fielders launched a huge appeal and the batter was given out.
Critics claim the finger click was intended to mimic the sound of the ball brushing the edge of the bat and fool the umpire into raising his finger.
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Devine, 38, of Guisborough, works at an auction house Credit: Nrthallertonauctions.com
Several other teams claim to have been victim of the rouse
One fan fumed: “This is about the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen in cricket.”
Another blasted: “This is disgraceful behaviour. Utterly against everything cricket is meant to be about. Shameful.”
Even Piers Morgan joined the pile-on, posting: “Unbelievable. Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history.”
Since the footage emerged, players from rival clubs have claimed they too were on the receiving end of questionable caught-behind decisions involving Saltburn in Division Two of the North Yorkshire South Durham League.
In Saturday’s clash, Norton’s Noman Shabir was given out caught behind first ball after arriving at the crease with the score on 39-2.
He later wrote: “From all the evidence he’s done it to all the clubs in pretty much every game.
“Interestingly, when he got found out and the clicking stopped, the wickets also stopped for a long time.”
Bowes has taken 34 catches this season – comfortably the most in the division – with his nearest rival on just 19.
Cricket fan Craig Symington, who shared footage of the incident online, wrote: “We play this game on integrity and trust. Please share this far and wide to sort this rubbish out.”
The captain of another club also alleged Saltburn had benefited from similar dismissals.
He said: “It’s clear what’s been happening and it’s not confined to one game.
“I was at the other end when one of our players was dismissed, but our batsman was adamant he was nowhere near the ball.
“We had three given out caught behind that day, and all of them said they hadn’t touched the ball.”
Devine, 38, of Guisborough, works at an auction house and regularly opens the batting for Saltburn.
The club, who currently sit 17 points clear at the top of the table, held a crisis meeting to discuss the controversy.
Devine, Saltburn CC and Norton CC have all declined to comment on the extraordinary incident.
