September 6, 2020: Fast bowler Mitch Claydon has been suspended by English County Club Sussex for applying hand sanitizer on a cricket ball during a Bob Willis Trophy match against Middlesex last month. The 37-year-old Australian will thus no longer take part in Sussex’s next game against Surrey.

“Mitch Claydon is suspended pending the outcome of an ECB allegation of placing hand sanitiser on the ball in our match against Middlesex. There will be no further comment at this stage,” Sussex said in an official statement.

The act was performed by Claydon during the first innings of the match where in which he picked up three wickets. Earlier this year, the ICC strictly banned the use of saliva as a component to shine the ball.

Claydon is a veteran fast bowler having played 112 First-Class matches, 110 List-A games and 147 T20Is. He has 310 FC wickets including 11 five wicket-hauls and nine 10-fors. In List A and T20s, Claydon has 138 and 159 wickets respectively.