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Former New Zealand international and Essex all-rounder Doug Bracewell has been handed a two-year suspension following a positive test for cocaine during a County Championship match last year.
The drug test took place in September 2025 during a fixture against Somerset at Chelmsford.
The 35-year-old admitted to using the substance after the first day’s play and in the early hours before the second day began.
Although Bracewell officially retired from professional cricket in late December, the Cricket Regulator proceeded with the formal ban.
The suspension has been backdated to start from November 2025 and is set to conclude in November 2027.
This is not the first time the cricketer has faced such disciplinary action; he previously served a one-month ban in 2024 for a similar offence during New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 competition.
Bracewell, who represented his country in 69 matches across various formats, has accepted the sanctions.
Essex County Cricket Club confirmed the failed test in a statement and expressed their support for the regulator’s decision, emphasising that all employees must uphold professional conduct standards.
While the club made it clear they do not condone the behaviour, they have committed to assisting Bracewell through a rehabilitation process.
The club itself will not face any additional penalties related to the incident.
