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Andrew Wu<\/a>Sports Writer<\/p>\nJuly 31, 2026 \u2014 7:02pm<\/p>\n
July 31, 2026 \u2014 7:02pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n For a game that treats sportsmanship so seriously that it has the \u201cSpirit of Cricket\u201d enshrined in its lawbook, cricket has an absurd relationship with fair play.<\/p>\n Nicked the ball? Nah, I\u2019m not walking.<\/p>\n Beat the bat? Close enough. Howzat?!<\/p>\n The gentleman\u2019s game, as cricket is traditionally known, is awash with stories of skulduggery.<\/p>\n In the few days since the chicanery of \u201cClicky Ponting\u201d \u2013 the club cricketer formerly known as Brian Devine who allegedly deceived umpires by clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of an edge<\/a> \u2013 came to light, this masthead has been alerted to a myriad of sharp practices by former players at local level through to the professional ranks.<\/p>\n Some are familiar \u2013 the Test batter who calls for a change of gloves a minute before stumps to prevent an extra over being bowled; the wicketkeeper who has signalled to fine-leg as if the ball has beaten them to lure the batter out of their crease and whip the bails off, or appealed for a leg-side catch to avoid a wide being called; the fielder who has \u201ccarelessly\u201d scraped the ball on concrete while fetching it from over the fence.<\/p>\n Others are less well-known but also make a mockery of cricket\u2019s reputation for fair play. A former first-grader in Melbourne\u2019s old district competition told this column of a wicketkeeper he knew who had the skill to surreptitiously flick a bail to fall backwards, creating the illusion a batter had trodden on his stumps.<\/p>\n One veteran of local cricket knew of a second-XI captain who, on the night before the game, would apply a thin layer of Araldite clear glue along the middle part of the seam of the ball. Once dried, the glue would harden and keep the seam proud, increasing the lateral movement off the pitch.<\/p>\n A former state player, who shall remain unnamed, has seen in-close fielders rubbing their hands on the ground on the bowler\u2019s approach to distract the batter.<\/p>\n Cricket satirists Sam Perry and Ian Higgins of The Grade Cricketer, who have written to Clicky\u2019s club Saltburn in a show of support<\/a>, sent out a call to arms to their listeners this week, asking for their stories of the dark arts. They were inundated.<\/p>\n This column\u2019s favourite anecdote was that of the veteran batter who had cultivated such a reputation for being a walker that opponents no longer appealed for edges. After his final game, he regaled to his teammates at the bar he had not walked in four years, despite nicking off dozens of times.<\/p>\n Less PC was the yarn about the lower-grade captain who refused his opposing number a runner despite his opponent clearly suffering the effects of polio as a child. His reason? The player had clearly come into the game with a pre-existing injury. He was run out.<\/p>\n Why, then, has a sport which has a nudge, nudge, wink, wink approach to sportsmanship reacted so savagely to \u201cClicky\u201d, who is at the bottom of a global pile-on, been condemned by British broadcaster Piers Morgan, suspended by his club<\/a>, and is under investigation by his league?<\/p>\n Related Article That\u2019s not even mentioning the loss of a $1905 sponsorship by a local Indian restaurant, which includes discount privileges. As several X accounts have pointed out, there is now an opening for a fried chicken multinational to sign him up for a Finger Clicking Good campaign.<\/p>\n Australia rightfully defended the stumping of Jonny Bairstow<\/a> in 2023 against claims of a spirit of cricket breach by saying they had abided by the laws of the game.<\/p>\n The clauses under unfair play in the laws of the game refer to the \u201cdeliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of [a] batter\u201d, which does not apply to \u201cClicky\u201d as his actions take place after the batter has committed to his stroke.<\/p>\n But you\u2019d be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes Clicky\u2019s alleged actions uphold the spirit of cricket.<\/p>\n Another perspective A former international umpire explains it this way. At umpiring seminars, umpires are advised to ask themselves, \u201cWhat does the game expect?\u201d<\/p>\n As questionable as it may be for a fielder at square leg or cover to appeal for an lbw, or a fielding team to appeal for a caught behind that has not hit the bat, there is a \u201cconventional acceptability\u201d of such an action.<\/p>\n \u201cClicky\u201d, however, is blatantly cheating, the former umpire said. Just as there is no place for sandpaper on the cricket field, there is no need to be clicking fingers from first slip.<\/p>\n Judging by the growing dossier of video footage, \u201cClicky\u201d has been at it in many more matches than last weekend, which is the subject of a North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League inquiry.<\/p>\n Perhaps there would be more sympathy for \u201cClicky\u201d if his team was not on top of the ladder and there was no spike in the number of wicketkeeper catches in the games he plays.<\/p>\n But lost amid all the hand-wringing and moralising, largely from England, is the disproportionate reaction to Clicky\u2019s deception. Does alleged cheating in a game watched by a few handfuls of people really warrant global condemnation?<\/p>\n A year of umpiring would be a reminder of the difficulties officials face, and the notoriety that will follow when he dons the creams next will be difficult to shake.<\/p>\n If cricket\u2019s tradition of trickery is any guide, as much as \u201cClicky\u201d may rue his actions \u2013 or getting caught \u2013 there will be more than a pang of regret among those who did not think of doing it first.<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Brian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4351d8315e2f3aa13876e255ecc4dc03d342a16a.jpeg\")
Brian \u201cClicky Ponting\u201d Devine is the man at the centre of cricket\u2019s latest scandal.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ff6bb6e48535a8229b699c7fde2fb30ffa403c91.gif\")
The moment Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped in the 2023 Ashes.Nine WWOS<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/e3fd2494012f3caa11d918b5df8b4feffe8b1d7a.jpeg\")
The Grade Cricketer\u2019s Sam Perry and Ian Higgins.Kristoffer Paulsen<\/p>\n![\"Jonny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5ba9ffc36d1295016b9a37952c5edc998fd732fd.jpeg\")
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