Jack Burnham, 21-year-old batsman, banned for a year for cocaine use

Jack Burnham, a 21-year-old batsman from Durham, has been banned for a year for consuming cocaine with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issuing a strong statement that there are “consequences” for this lifestyle.

Jack Burnham, a 21-year-old Durham batsman, has been handed a 12-month ban by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for taking cocaine. Burnham was due to tour Australia as one of the eight England players for future development, but he has been withdrawn.

Jack Burnham has been banned for a year by the England and Wales Cricket Board for cocaine consumption.(Getty Images)

According to the Daily Mail, the 20-year-old Burnham was set to be sent to Perth to play in the Australia grade clubs along with his former England U-19 teammate Max Holden.

Even though the ECB ban does not imply globally, the cricket governing body wanted to ‘make it clear that there are consequences’ for such a lifestyle.

England will now be sending Somerset cricketer George Bartlett in place of Burnham, to accompany Holden in the Western Australia Premier Cricket tournament.

Burnham meanwhile spent the first day of his ban meeting Durham CEO David Harker, and is likely to go through a rehabilitation course. He will also be seeing a medical practitioner. But these steps would also require funding from Durham, who have so far supported the batsman. This is the third time that the youngster has failed a drugs test.

Earlier this year in May, Burnham was handed a 21-day ban after his teammates and authorities failed to determine how he had suffered an injury to his hand that kept him off the field.

After his second incident, Burnham was relocated to live with Gareth Harte, a South African cricketer with a British passport who has established himself in the Second XI for Durham, even becoming the player of the year.