Australia's veteran strike bowler Megan Schutt has apologised after Cricket Australia handed her a two-match ban for a medication rules breach.
Australian women's cricket stalwart Megan Schutt has been suspended for two matches after breaching rules on prescription medication, and the strike bowler has publicly apologised. Cricket Australia announced the sanction on Thursday and was clear that the case has nothing to do with performance enhancement.
The 33-year-old began serving her ban immediately, though she did not miss any real action. Australia's T20 international against New Zealand in Sydney, the final game of the series, was washed out by rain on Thursday night, and that counted as the first match of her suspension.
According to Cricket Australia, Schutt failed to follow requirements set out in its Sports Science and Sports Medicine guidelines on prescription medication. The governing body described the matter as a single incident, which suggests it views the lapse as an isolated one rather than a pattern of behaviour.
Schutt has long been one of the most dependable new-ball threats in the women's game, and Australia will now be without her for one more match while the suspension runs its course. Her swift apology and the limited scope of the penalty point to a quick return to the squad once the ban is done.
