England star Tom Curran slapped with four-game ban for "intimidating an umpire"

21 December 2023 , 13:05

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Tom Curran nearly collided with an umpire before a Big Bash match (Image: 7Cricket)

England star Tom Curran has been handed a four-match ban in the Australian Big Bash League after being found guilty of intimidating an umpire.

Curran was involved in an altercation with an official before the Sydney Sixers' match against Hobart Hurricanes earlier this month. The all-rounder was warned by the umpire for running on the pitch while warming up, but continued his practice run through.

Video footage of the incident showed the official standing on the crease to block Curran’s path while he explained that he wasn’t allowed to run on the pitch. After a short stand-off, Curran ran into bowl anyway, with the official then forced to move out of the way at the last second to avoid a collision.

Sydney Sixers and Curran both denied the charge but Cricket Australia ’s code of conduct commissioner Adrian Anderson found him guilty and issued a four-match ban. The 28-year-old England international was found to have been involved in an incident which amounted to "intimidation or attempted intimidation of an umpire or match referee".

The franchise have released a statement to confirm their intention to lodge an appeal against the decision, which rules Curran out of games against Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Stars, Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat.

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Head of Sydney Sixers Rachael Haynes said: “Tom and the club maintain that Tom did not knowingly or intentionally intimidate a match official, and on legal advice, we will exercise our right to appeal the decision. We will support Tom during this period and look forward to him returning to the field.”

The BBL’s rules state that only the captain and coach are allowed to walk on the pitch to assess its condition prior to the start of play. Spiked footwear is also not allowed before the match to try and protect the wicket.

Curran took figures of 3-19 off four overs in Sixers' six-wicket victory over the Hurricanes after the pre-match incident and will be a significant miss for the team in the T20 tournament, which only has 10 group matches per team this season.

Curran, the older brother of fellow England all-rounder Sam Curran, has made 60 appearances for England across all formats. Although he was a part of the World Cup winning squad in 2019, he has not played for England since 2021, but has become a regular presence in T20 tournaments across the world.

Felix Keith