An English amateur cricketer at the center of allegations of finger-clicking trickery has been suspended and will not play 'for the foreseeable future,' his club said.

The fielder, dubbed 'Clicky Ponting' on social media in a punning nod to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, allegedly tricked umpires by clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of a ball nicking the bat as deliveries were missed and caught by the wicketkeeper.

The video footage went viral on social media and made international headlines.

Saltburn Cricket Club, run by volunteers, said in a statement it was treating the allegations 'with the utmost seriousness' and has launched an investigation.

'The player at the center 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 between club officials and the North Yorkshire and South Durham league have already taken place. The league confirmed receiving a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday 25th July 2026.

Saltburn said it had been a distressing and stressful experience for all concerned and asked for 'personal boundaries' to be respected.

The club currently tops the Division Two table with 10 wins from 15 matches.

Historically, cricketers have been accused of trying to trick umpires with noises, including chomping on a biscuit. Cheating allegations have also included applying dirt to the ball or using bottle tops to scuff it for extra swing.

Source: www.aljazeera.com