The man dubbed ‘Clicky Ponting’ has copped a massive ban after his viral cheating stunt sparked global backlash.

38-year-old Brian Devine made headlines earlier this year after a video of him seemingly clicking his fingers as the ball passed the bat of opposition players to mimic an edge exploded on social media.

It sparked fury among pundits who accused him of blatant cheating and saw him stood down by the club pending further investigation.

British media reported on Friday that Devine had been banned from cricket for two years, including all playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams.

For comparison, Steve Smith and David Warner were only banned for 12 months following the infamous sandpaper Test in 2018.

However, it’s not just Devine that has copped a heavy whack with Saltburn’s second XI, who were leading the North Yorkshire and South Durham League before the drama, automatically relegated into the third division.

They will also start next season with a whopping 60-point deduction, ruling them out of a promotion next year.

“The club fully participated in the disciplinary proceedings and accepts the decision of the appeal following the original decision from the League. We are now focusing on preparations for the 2027 season,” Saltburn CC said.

While the incident drew condemnation from the likes of firebrand pundit Piers Morgan, others, including Sam Perry and Ian Higgins from The Grade Cricketer, believed the reaction to an amateur cricketer’s antics was over the top.

“For over a decade we have celebrated and benefited from the low-rent charm of club cricket’s rich, dark underbelly, alongside hundreds of thousands of people around the world”, they said.

“Of course, it would appear some members at Saltburn CC have engaged in comically sharp practice. But sadly, when f---wits like Piers Morgan declare to millions that ‘Clicky Ponting must be the biggest cheat in cricket history’, all proportionality is lost, and we feel a brotherly obligation to support the club in that context.”