BBL: Sydney Sixers' Tom Curran handed four-match ban for intimidating umpire

England seamer Tom Curran was on Thursday handed a four-match ban for intimidating an umpire during the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL). The bowling all-rounder, who represents Sydney Sixers in the BBL, was found guilty of committing a level-3 offence as per Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct, according to Cricket.com.au. The Sixers, however, have since maintained that they will ‘vigorously’ appeal the verdict. The incident happened ahead of the Sixers’ away game against Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston, Tasmania on 11 December when the South African-born all-rounder was practising his run-ups. Curran was stopped by the fourth umpire, who advised him against getting onto the pitch before the game got underway. Curran, however, wasn’t too pleased with that and led to a bit of an altercation between the two. Watch the incident unfold here:

The vision everyone's been waiting for.

This is the series of events that's led to Tom Curran's four-game suspension... pic.twitter.com/CRcBujbIl0

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 21, 2023

“The umpire took position next to the stumps, blocking Curran from approaching the pitch and gestured to Curran to move away from the pitch. Curran was seen in the footage gesturing to the umpire to move away from the pitch. “Curran then attempted to perform a practice run-up and run at pace straight towards the umpire who stood in the bowling crease facing Curran. The umpire stepped to his right to avoid the risk of collision,” read an official statement from Cricket Australia. Match referee Bob Parry would then charge Curran under Article 2.17 of the code of conduct for “intimidation or attempted intimidation of an umpire, match referee or medical personnel whether by language or conduct (including gestures) during a match”. Curran contested the charge, but was ultimately slapped with four suspension points, with led to a four-match ban. The Sixers, however, are set to continue their appeal against the ban, maintaining that the players’ actions were not “intentional”. “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,” Sydney Sixers Head Rachael Haynes said in a statement. “We will support Tom during this period and look forward to him returning to the field,” Haynes added. The Big Bash League playing conditions state that only the captain and the coach are allowed to walk up to the pitch to assess it ahead of the game, but cannot do so while wearing spiked footwear.