NZ's Bracewell handed two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine

April 24 : Former New Zealand international Doug Bracewell has been handed a two-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine before his retirement from all cricket last year, England's Cricket Regulator said on Friday.

The 35-year-old all-rounder, who retired from all forms of cricket in December after finishing his career in England with Essex, played 69 times for New Zealand across formats, including 28 tests.

Bracewell tested positive for cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in an in‑competition sample taken on September 25 last year, the regulator said.

Cocaine is classified as a prohibited substance under the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) anti-doping regulations.

Essex confirmed in a statement that he had failed a drug test.

"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 added.

Bracewell was also sanctioned in New Zealand in 2024 after testing positive for cocaine following a domestic Twenty20 match, for which he served a one-month suspension after completing a substance abuse treatment programme.