Australian bowler, who took 14 wickets vs India in BGT 2003/04, found guilty in drug deal: Reports

Former Australia spinner Stuart Macgill on Thursday, March 12, was found guilty in a drug controversy. According to 7news (via The Indian Express), Macgill was involved in a deal between his partner’s brother and a drug peddler.

The 54-year-old former Australia cricketer had been accused of facilitating a cocaine deal between Marino Sotiropoulos, his partner's brother, and an unnamed dealer in April 2021.

While he has claimed of only introducing the two, it was rejected by a jury, which gave the verdict following an eight-day trial in the New South Wales District Court. Macgill was eventually acquitted of supplying a large quantity of the prohibited drug.

According to the report, a kilogram of cocaine was exchanged between his partner's brother and the dealer for a sum of $33,000 with Macgill being the link for the deal. The former cricketer has a restaurant on Sydney's north shore, where he reportedly arranged the meeting. Stuart Macgill, however, denied knowing that any such deal would take place from the meeting.

He has also admitted to regularly buying half a gram of cocaine for $200 from the dealer. Macgill was acquitted by the jury for supplying a large quantity of the prohibited drug but was deemed guilty of being involved in the deal. The report also added that his sentence hearing has been adjourned for eight weeks.

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Stuart Macgill's career for Australia

Stuart Macgill made his international debut for Australia in 1998 in a Test against South Africa in Adelaide. He impressed right away by picking up two wickets in the first innings and three in the second with the game ending in a draw.

Macgill played 44 Tests for Australia, picking up 208 wickets at an average of 29.02 with 9 four-wicket and 12 five-wicket hauls. The former cricketer also scored 349 runs with the bat. He was the highest wicket-taker (14) for the hosts in the 2003/04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy versus India.

He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in Sydney in 2000. Australia won the game by 81 runs and Macgill was the star of the show, returning figures of four for 19 as he also won the Player of the Match award.

Despite a solid start, Macgill ended up playing only 3 ODIs and picked up six wickets at an average of 17.50 with an economy rate of 3.50.