Latest on Clickgate & what it means for clubs and leagues

The Clickgate scandal has thrust Saltburn Cricket Club into the spotlight with global condemnation.

It revolves around a live steamed Division Two fixture in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League. Saltburn’s second XI beat Norton by 159 runs but the dismissal of Noman Shabir sparked the controversy.

There is a case to answer as the slip fielder in question, Brian Devine, was caught on video clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of an edge as ball passed bat. The batsman was given out after a collective appeal.

As it happens, I have watched Saltburn’s second team at their place but all I heard that day was the seagulls and sound of the North Sea.

Beyond the howls of derision bouncing online and litany of Instagram Reels, what does this say about club cricket?

Editor’s note: Any photos used here of Saltburn CC are from our archives and not of this season.

(Live) stream of consciousness

Beaming your cricket match around the world is now mainstream. It is not uncommon for batters to trudge off the field, lob their willow aside in disgust then fire YouTube up to check the dismissal for errors.

I’ve long been an advocate of live streaming that has many benefits for the grassroots game but it comes with plenty of safeguarding, privacy and admin considerations for clubs and leagues.

This season in Yorkshire, we’ve now seen two high-profile examples where players have been identified on video for their poor behaviour. A cricketer in another league was banned for three games for ball tampering after footage emerged on social media.

How leagues respond

Interestingly, the individual who posted that ball tampering clip was banned for a game too.

Leagues now have an extraordinary volume of admin to manage and disciplinary matters hoover up a load of time through emails, conversations, meetings and external communication.

That reference to a previous one-match ban (for sharing the incident) is a warning to others to follow the correct reporting process but there are ways to navigate this so the genie gets out of that bottle with frightening speed.

We must remember that those involved with clubs and leagues are volunteers. It’s got to the point where a single moment like this, with massive media interest, ratchets up the pressure on everyone.

There’s a duty of care to all involved – including Saltburn and ‘Clicky Ponting’ as the culprit has been cannily named. It’s a nickname that’s likely to haunt him for years.

It will be intriguing how the NYSD reacts. There is a disciplinary framework but this goes way beyond the player or players involved. At the time of writing, they are currently investigating after receiving a formal complaint.

The league will want to be diligent, fair, respond as quickly as it can and has its own reputation to think about.

Questions to answer

Do umpires have better hearing in the NYSD?! Someone clicking from the slip cordon would often go unnoticed by many officials – though a compelling, collective appeal added persuasion.

How do leagues manage this kind of thing going forwards? It is the age of both live streaming but also any spectator whipping out their phone to record.

The ripple effect

Actions like the Saltburn example don’t happen in a vacuum. I imagine the whole club is in shock and not getting the warmest of attention right now. It could affect membership, sponsorship and has already encouraged a spate of negative Google reviews.

It’s natural that cricket clubs, in the middle of a storm, will want to hunker down but need to think about communication and perception.

It brings to mind York Cricket Club back in 2023 when they responded to a controversial run-out with a swift, public apology: ‘The captain, the whole team, and club, are mortified by the error of judgement that was made.’

So, how do cricket clubs manage a crisis like this?

Saltburn have taken robust action themselves. In a public statement, the club said: “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.”

Life can get complicated for any cricket club at the click of a finger.

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