The Big Bash League (BBL) said on Sunday the Sydney Sixers' appeal against England all-rounder Tom Curran’s four-match sanction was dismissed with the original sanction to stand.
On December 21, BBL said Curran was banned for four matches due to a pre-match altercation with an umpire ahead of his team Sydney Sixers’ match against Hobart Hurricanes at Launceston on December 11.
“Umpires are part of the lifeblood of cricket and it is essential they are respected and appreciated by players at all levels of the game. We acknowledge the remorse Tom’s shown following the appeal and look forward to seeing him back in Sixers colours.”
“Tom has been a long-time contributor to the BBL and is a clear fan-favourite and someone we hope will continue to play an integral role in the competition moving forward,” said Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager, Big Bash Leagues.
"I have had a lot of time to reflect on my actions" - Tom Curran
In a lengthy statement, Curran said he accepts the sanction that was imposed on him by BBL. “I have had a lot of time to reflect on my actions and the incident that occurred in Launceston on December 11. Across my decade long professional career I have always sought to have a friendly and respectful relationship with match officials, which I believe is reflected in the lack of prior code of conduct breaches across the world.”
“Until the moment of the incident, my interactions with Umpire Qureshi on December 11 commenced in a manner consistent with the rest of my professional career, we shared a laugh as he worked through his duties measuring bats in the changeroom. My preparation for every fixture is deeply methodical and my focus is intense during the warmup.”
“I deeply regret the way I reacted to it and the resultant impact for Umpire Qureshi, the Sydney Sixers and myself personally. My intention was always to veer off to Umpire Quershi’s right, in a similar way to my run up at the other end. I had never considered running into him and never considered that he would think that was my intention.”
The right-arm seamer will have to sit out of three more matches, which will take place against the Melbourne Stars, Sydney Thunder, and the Brisbane Heat.
