Northamptonshire Steelbacks batter Chris Lynn was handed, and served, a one month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine after the club won the T20 Vitality Blast final on July 18th.

The Cricket Regulator confirmed that Lynn produced an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) following a drug test taken on Finals Day and an investigation was launched.

Lynn’s urine sample was sent to the WADA-accredited Laboratory in the Laboratoire Anti-Dopage, France for analysis and returned Adverse Analytical Findings (“AAF”) for cocaine’s Metabolite benzoylecgonine meaning that it was a violation of cricket’s anti-doping rule.

Cocaine is a substance banned “In Competition” but the investigation found that Lynn had taken the drug on the night of July 15th into the early hours of July 16th outside of competition.

Having also provided evidence supporting this position the regulator accepted that Lynn’s use of cocaine amounted to an out-of-competition ADR violation and was unrelated to sporting performance.

The regulator charged Lynn with two ADR violations in September and sought a suspension of three months. The second of those violations – ADR Article 2.2 – in that the Cricketer Used a Prohibited Substance, namely cocaine, on or before 18 July 2026 (the “ADRVs”) – was withdrawn as the reported level of cocaine in the sample was below the minimum reporting level required.

Lynn acknowledged and accepted the findings of the regulator and informed them of his decision to undergo a substance of abuse treatment programme.

In October, the regulator received evidence that Lynn had completed the programme and his suspension was reduced to one month.

That ban was served between Lynn’s provisional suspension on 31 July 2026 until 11.59pm on 30 August 2026.

The findings also concluded that there was no requirement to inflict any sanction Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

A statement from the Cricket Regulator reads: “The Cricket Regulator has imposed a one-month suspension on former Northamptonshire Steelbacks cricketer Chris Lynn. The period of suspension has now been served.

“Mr Lynn produced an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the presence of cocaine's Metabolite, benzoylecgonine, related to an In Competition sample collected on the 18 July 2026.

“Mr Lynn has accepted the sanction. No further comment will be made on this matter.”