Piper tested positive for a recreational drug

The 35-year-old is alleged to have tested positive for cannabis during Warwickshire's opening County Championship match against Glamorgan.

Piper, who only played because of an injury to regular wicket-keeper Tony Frost, is suspended by Warwickshire.

He failed an internal Warwickshire drugs test for cannabis in 1987.

On that occasion, he was fined �500 and suspended for one match.

But the club are not likely to treat a repeat offence so lightly and could consider Piper's future if he is found guilty at tomorrow's panel, which is chaired by Gerard Elias QC.

If Piper is found guilty of the offence, he will be the second Warwickshire player in seven months to fall foul of the drugs regulations following Graham Wagg's 15-month ban after testing positive for cocaine.

That punishment prompted his county contract to be terminated.

Anyone using a prohibited substance is likely to suffer very serious penalties ECB anti-doping literature

Leicester-born Piper has spent his entire career with Warwickshire, making his county bow in 1989 and being capped three years later.

With 200 first-class appearances, he is Warwickshire's longest-serving current player.

He was suspended for one match and fined �500 after failing a drugs test for cannabis in 1997.

Once on the brink of senior international recognition, he toured India and Pakistan with England A in 1994 and 1995.

In its anti-doping regulations, the ECB states: "We are determined to ensure that drugs do not enter cricket and intend to use all possible powers to achieve this.