Viral finger-clicker suspended as cricket storm remains in global spotlight
An amateur English cricketer has been suspended following allegations that he used finger-clicking to mimic the sound of a ball hitting the bat. The incident went viral on social media, prompting a formal investigation by his club and league.
Why it matters
The story illustrates the rapid spread of viral sports controversies and the challenges amateur leagues face in maintaining integrity.
Saltburn’s amateur cricketer at centre of cheating allegations that grabbed global headlines is suspended by club.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Cricket's latest cheating storm comes from an amateur league with the allegation a player clicked his fingers to convince umpires that the ball hit the bat [Paul Childs/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 30 Jul 2026 30 Jul 2026 An English amateur cricketer at the centre of allegations of finger-clicking trickery has been suspended and will not play “for the foreseeable future”, his club has 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 make the sound of a ball nicking the bat as deliveries were missed and caught by the wicketkeeper.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in