Australian batter Chris Lynn has served a one-month suspension after testing positive for cocaine during England’s domestic T20 competition earlier this year. The 36-year-old, who was representing Northamptonshire in the T20 Blast, returned an adverse result following an anti-doping test conducted on Finals Day on July 18.England’s Cricket Regulator confirmed on Thursday that Lynn had admitted to using cocaine outside competition and had subsequently completed a substance abuse treatment programme, which played a role in reducing his suspension from three months to one.Lynn underwent a routine anti-doping test after Northamptonshire secured the T20 Blast title for the third time. The Australian scored 39 and four in the two matches on Finals Day. His urine sample was later sent to a laboratory in France, where it tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.The batter travelled to Sri Lanka shortly after the tournament to participate in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). However, his campaign with Galle Gallants ended prematurely after he was ruled out on July 29 because of an unspecified leg injury, having featured in just one match.On July 31, Lynn was notified by the Cricket Regulator about the adverse analytical finding and was provisionally suspended. He subsequently admitted to cocaine use, confirming that it had taken place outside a sporting competition and had no connection with his cricketing performance.Lynn disclosed that the substance had been used “during a period of several hours across the evening of 15 July 2026 and into the early hours of 16 July 2026”.Earlier on July 15, he had retired hurt during Northamptonshire’s quarter-final win over Gloucestershire after being struck on the foot by a low full-toss from Duan Jansen.The Cricket Regulator initially brought two anti-doping charges against Lynn under the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) regulations. However, one of the charges was later withdrawn after the cocaine concentration detected in his sample was found to be below the minimum threshold prescribed under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.Although the regulator initially proposed a three-month suspension, the punishment was reduced to one month after Lynn committed to a substance abuse treatment programme. The programme was completed on August 30, one month after his provisional suspension began.Lynn, who has represented Australia in four ODIs and 18 T20Is, has not played professional cricket since the start of his suspension. He is also yet to officially sign a contract with a franchise for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season, although Australian media reports suggest he has agreed to join Melbourne Renegades.
