England and Sydney Sixers all-rounder Tom Curran was suspended for four BBL matches after he ‘intimidated’ an umpire ahead of the Sixers’ clash against the Hobart Hurricanes at the University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston on December 11.

Match referee Bob Parry had reported 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”.

Ahead of the match, Curran “completed a practice run up in which he ran onto part of the pitch”, which the umpire (either Greg Davidson or Nathan Johnstone) subsequently “verbally instructed” him not to.

Curran proceeded to perform the same act from the other end. The umpire now took his position next to the stumps, “blocking Curran from approaching the pitch”. He also gestured Curran to move away.

The BBL release mentions that “Curran was seen in the footage gesturing to the Umpire to move away from the pitch”. As he “attempted to perform a practice run up and run at pace straight towards the Umpire who stood in the bowling crease facing Curran”, the official stepped to his right to avoid a collision.

After Curran contested the allegations – it is not clear why – the matter was raised to Adrian Anderson, the Code of Conduct Commissioner, who founded him guilty and handed him four demerit points, effectively suspending him for four BBL Matches.

The incident got attention from the cricket fraternity.

Tom Curran has been suspended for FOUR @BBL games for an unauthorised run-through before the Sixers v Hurricanes game. CA tribunal boss Adrian Anderson said he put the umpire’s safety at risk and had been warned not to beforehand. Utterly bizarre

— Ed Bourke (@edbourke6) December 21, 2023

I need to see vision of this entire incident that has resulted in Tom Curran being suspended for FOUR Big Bash League games. It sounds absolutely mental. #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/N9Kqu78hoq

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) December 21, 2023

Best T20 league on the planet https://t.co/iudVfMkf3n

— Xavier Voigt-Hill (@voigthill) December 21, 2023

The Sixers’ next four matches are against Adelaide Strikers (December 22), Melbourne Stars (December 26), Sydney Thunder (December 30), and Brisbane Heat (January 1).

As an aside, the Royal Challengers Bangalore had picked up Curran for INR 1.5 crore at the 2024 IPL auction on December 19.