The authorities suspended him for 19 months for taking cocaine in August, but Giddins strenuously denied yesterday's Sunday newspaper ``confession'' that he had knowingly, and not accidentally, taken the drug, as he had claimed at Lord's.

``It is completely untrue. I have never admitted to taking drugs, and I just hope people will not believe what they read,'' he said last night. ``I have never knowingly taken drugs. It is a sensitive issue, and I just want to be seen to be behaving honourably in everything I do.'' The cricket authorities did not appear to believe Giddins's plea that his drink had been spiked at a Saturday night party, which led to his failing a random drugs test at a Sussex match the following day.

He was sacked by Sussex and has since received several offers from other counties, even though he will not be able to play until April, 1998.

Giddins appealed against the severity of the ban on the grounds that cocaine was not a performance-enhancing substance, but his plea was rejected. He claims that only small traces were found by the drugs test.

Gareth James, Giddins's agent, said his client was planning to take action to clear his name. ``He did not knowingly take any illegal substance,'' he added. ``We will be lodging a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission, and I would be surprised if Ed doesn't see his lawyer about it.''

If Giddins had lied to the TCCB hearing, he would have faced trouble from the Professional Cricketers' Association, and Matthew Fleming, the chairman, admitted he was ``stunned'' by the newspaper allegation. The association would probably have demanded a repayment of their contribution to the legal costs of his defence.

Giddins, 24, became the subject of jokey comments on the field at Hove and around the circuit after it became known he had failed a drugs test.

He said: ``I was batting against Surrey when a bowler called out 'Can I have a snort leg for this guy, please?'

At Sussex I heard cracks like 'Keep a tight line, Ed' and 'That's a snorting delivery.' But probably the best one was when I was taking a bit of stick in a match and someone called out 'Don't let them get up your nose, Giddo!' ``

However, the jokes have stopped now, and Giddins has lost reputedly about #30,000 in wages from his suspension; and his winter job this year is selling Christmas trees for six weeks. He said he had turned down a good financial offer from a tabloid newspaper to ``spice up'' the circumstances that led to his ban.