Test and County cricket is currently paused as the franchise based The Hundred and the red ball One Day Cup takes place. The Commonwealth Games aside there is not much sporting competition. Yet its not the heavily promoted Hundred (every match gets TV and radio coverage) that is the cricket story making the headlines.
In fact its match that took place between Saltburn Second |X1 and Norton in the North Yorkshire and South Durham league last Saturday that is in the news.
Its alleged that a Saltburn player Company Secretary and opening bat Brian Devine can be seen, in a recording of the match, clicking his fingers as a ball is bowled. The sound is alleged to replicate that of snicking a ball to the wicket keeper. An appeal was made and the Umpire gave the batter out, though in fact they had not hit the ball.
Devine has already suffered serious consequences, being dropped as a sponsor by his local Indian restuarant.
The affair has cause the Mail to produce a double page spread (above) and Jonathan Agnew has opined on the BBC TV news.
As Aggers underlined while gambling and cricket are closely related, match fixing is not. There have been scandals in cricket relating to ball tampering, sandpapering balls and much else. These examples come from professional cricket where big money can be at stake.
By contrast the Saltburn game consisted of amateur cricketers. It is possible, although not suggested, that betting was taking place on games but otherwise while the apparent transgression should merit disciplinary action calling it ‘corruption’ (Mail) is hyperbolic.
It is however what used to be known as the ‘silly season’ when schools are on holiday and Parliament is in recess.
I used to live in Saltburn as a student 50 years ago and it is a well worth a visit- a relatively unspoilt North Yorkshire seaside town. Its a short train ride from Middlesbrough
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