Graeme Rummans expressed gratitude and Australia's cricket administrators signalled an ongoing determination to stamp out drug use in the wake of the marathon hearing in Melbourne tonight into the New South Wales batsman's positive test to the banned masking agent probenecid.

At the end of a hearing that lasted more than seven hours, Rummans was fined $A2000 and hit with a one-month ban from all cricket that has terminated his interstate season.

The decisions followed the return of a positive drug test before a state training session in December last year.

In a prepared statement read to journalists after the hearing at the offices of the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), Rummans stated that he accepted his punishment and that he was relieved that the Board's three-person Anti-Doping Committee had recognised that his use of the substance was not aimed at artificially improving his performances as a cricketer.

"I accept the decisions to suspend me until 24 March and to fine me $2000," he said.

"I'm glad that the hearing acknowledged that I have never taken any performance-enhancing drugs, and I look forward to finishing off the season with my district club St George.

"I would like to thank the committee for saying that I am a man of honesty and integrity and accepting that my use of probenecid was innocent and that I never set out to mislead or to cheat anyone.

"I would (also) like to thank the cricket community as a whole for the unbelievable support (it has) given me.

"Several very high-profile cricket figures went into bat for me on this issue and it is something that I'll never forget."

ACB Chief Executive, James Sutherland, meanwhile stated that he was satisfied at the way in which Rummans' case had been handled.

"No sport would be pleased with the knowledge that one of its players has been found guilty of this type of offence, but I am re-assured by the facts that the issue was identified and dealt with in an appropriate manner and was not done to gain an unfair advantage," said Sutherland.

He added that the appearance of Rummans before the committee, and his penalties, were each indicative of the ACB's commitment to eradicating the use of any kind of performance-enhancing substances by players across Australia.

"It is clear that Graeme took probenecid in contravention of the ACB Anti-Doping Policy.

"All elite cricketers have the responsibility under the ACB Anti-Doping Policy, the ACB Anti-Doping Education Programs, and their player contracts to be accountable for any medication they may be taking.

"It is clear the committee has taken into account the mitigating circumstances in this particular case and, at the same time, the need to send a clear message about drugs in cricket and the inappropriateness of illegal substances.

"And a clear message beyond that to players that they need to take responsibility for the substances in their bodies."

© 2002 CricInfo Ltd