New Zealand : Former New Zealand national cricket team all-rounder Doug Bracewell has been handed a two-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine before his retirement last year, England’s cricket regulator said on Friday.
The 35-year-old, who retired from all forms of the game in December after a stint with Essex County Cricket Club, represented New Zealand 69 times across formats, including 28 tests.
Bracewell returned a positive test for cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine from an in-competition sample taken on Sept. 25, the regulator said. The substance is banned under England and Wales Cricket Board anti-doping regulations.
Essex confirmed the failed test and said it would support the player through rehabilitation.
“While the club does not condone Bracewell’s behaviour, we are committed to supporting him through rehabilitation in line with our policies and procedures,” Essex said in a statement.
Bracewell had also been sanctioned in New Zealand in 2024 after another positive cocaine test following a domestic Twenty20 match, serving a one-month suspension after completing a treatment programme.
