Aussie cricket star Chris Lynn's secret cocaine ban after drug binge following quarter-final victory

Australian cricket star Chris Lynn served a one-month cocaine ban that has only now become public, after failing a drug test on the day he helped Northamptonshire win England's T20 Blast title.

The 36-year-old admitted to using cocaine over several hours following his side's quarter-final victory in July, with his suspension subsequently reduced after he completed a substance-abuse treatment program.

Lynn served the ban from July 31 to August 30. The sanction emerged publicly on Friday, months after he had completed it and amid reports linking him with a Big Bash League move to the Melbourne Renegades.

The former Australian international provided a urine sample during T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on July 18.

He scored 39 in the semi-final and four in the final as Northamptonshire claimed the trophy for the third time.

Analysis at a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in France detected benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

Chris Lynn served a one-month cocaine ban that only became public months after his suspension ended

The Australian batter, pictured with partner Karlie, tested positive after helping Northamptonshire win the T20 Blast title on July 18

Lynn's proposed three-month suspension was reduced to one month after he completed a substance-abuse treatment program

Lynn subsequently acknowledged taking the drug on July 15 and into the early hours of July 16, several days before the test.

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.

England's Cricket Regulator accepted evidence that Lynn's cocaine use took place out of competition and was unrelated to sporting performance.

After the Blast, Lynn travelled to Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League, making one appearance for Galle Gallants before being ruled out with a leg injury on July 29.

Two days later, the regulator notified him of his positive test and imposed a provisional suspension.

Lynn responded on August 20, admitting the cocaine use and supplying evidence about when it had occurred.

The regulator initially pursued two charges under the England and Wales Cricket Board's anti-doping rules.

One was subsequently dropped because the concentration detected in his sample fell below the minimum threshold required for that charge.

The former Australian international served his suspension from July 31 to August 30

Lynn, pictured with footy star Reagan Campbell-Gillard, accepted the sanction after the regulator dropped one of the two original anti-doping charges

The remaining breach carried a proposed three-month suspension. That was reduced to one month after Lynn provided confirmation he had completed a substance-abuse treatment program.

His suspension was deemed completed on August 30, with formal notice of the charges following on September 23. Lynn accepted the sanction.

Cocaine is prohibited in competition under the anti-doping rules and is also classified as a substance of abuse.

The regulator's acceptance that Lynn used it outside competition, without a connection to sporting performance, was central to the penalty imposed.

Lynn has not played professional cricket since his brief stint in Sri Lanka.

His playing future is now back in the spotlight after he reportedly agreed to join the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming BBL season. The signing has not been officially announced.

One of Australia's most recognisable T20 power hitters, Lynn played four one-day internationals and 18 T20 internationals for his country, with his most recent Australian appearance coming in 2018.

Sir Jimmy Anderson will play for another county next summer after being dumped by boyhood club Lancashire.

Anderson, who turns 45 during the 2027 season, told friends that he was ‘done’ after leaving the bombshell meeting with Lancashire chief executive Richard Kenyon and the club’s director of cricket Paul Farbrace on October 19 in which he was informed that the rebuilding of a team that finished next to bottom in the County Championship last summer would not involve him.

At that stage, he envisaged remaining a one-club man and didn’t anticipate a huge level of interest being shown in him across the domestic game.

However, Daily Mail Sport can reveal that England’s most prolific bowler in Test history has U-turned on thoughts of retirement after being approached by 12 other counties in the past fortnight.

It is understood he is close to agreeing terms with one of the dozen and will therefore look to follow 26 seasons representing Lancashire by adding to a career tally of 1,193 first-class wickets in a new environment.

The sensational decision to carry on follows a 2026 campaign in which he claimed 50 Division Two victims at a cost of just 17.68 runs apiece. Of the division’s 20 most prolific bowlers, only Matthew Potts, of champions Durham, bettered Anderson’s strike rate of 38.66.

James Anderson was told he has no future at Lancashire despite taking 50 County Championship wickets last season

During the closing stages of a testing campaign, Anderson was of a mind to step down from the Lancashire club captaincy, but such personal form persuaded him that he could help turn things around back in the ranks, using the knowledge and expertise of a 301-cap international career to both drive the team forward and mentor the club’s other bowlers.

But after replacing the sacked Mark Chilton as the club’s new DOC, Farbrace had other ideas, drawing up plans to win promotion and then challenge for the County Championship title within four years, which involved the ‘incredibly difficult decision’ of letting Anderson know he would not be offered a new deal at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire members and supporters reacted furiously to the news that one of their own in Burnley-born Anderson was being dumped, but Farbrace attempted to persuade them of his logic at a meeting he attended virtually last week.

Farbrace, previously DOC at crisis club Sussex, had delivered the news in person to Anderson a full two weeks before his start date of November 1 and had dialled in from a holiday in the United States.

Lancashire have intimated that they will arrange a farewell event for arguably their greatest ever player, although that may now depend on his commitments with his new employers.

County cricketers reported for pre-season training this week, just over a month after the 2026 summer concluded.

Anderson is now close to agreeing terms with another county after 12 approached him

Being moved on from Old Trafford, which has an end named after him, follows his abrupt departure from an international career in 2024 when, with the 2025-26 Ashes in mind, England’s think-tank of Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes made the call to inject their attack with new blood.

Of this latest farewell, he said on the Tailenders podcast last week that although he’d wanted to finish his career where it began, ‘it would be nice at some point if someone would let me retire.’

Adding: ‘I am sad the way it ended with the club I supported as a kid but now I have thought about it I am quite excited for the future. I am always going to support Lancashire.

‘I was born there, grew up watching them, had some of my most memorable days out with dad watching them, got to play for them and captain the club, which is something most people dream about.’

Now, reneging on hanging up the boots means he could yet play against them in 2027 and beyond.