Tom Curran’s appeal rejected by the BBL with the four-match ban upheld » Today Latest Stories

Tom Curran’s appeal to overturn his four-match ban for referee intimidation has been rejected by the Australian Football League, with the Sydney Sixers player saying he deeply regrets the way he behaved towards match referee Mohammed Qureshi.

Curran has been suspended by Cricket Australia for four BBL matches after being charged and found guilty of a Level 3 offense under the CA Code of Conduct for an incident prior to the Sixers’ match against the Hobart Hurricanes on December 11 in Launceston.

The Sydney Sixers have appealed the decision with captain Moises Henriques saying he is “struggling to understand” the ban.

But the A-League confirmed Curran’s appeal was rejected on Sunday and the ban will remain in place, meaning the player will miss the Sixers’ next three matches against the Melbourne Stars, Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat, having already missed the win over the Adelaide Strikers on Friday. Curran will be available again for the January 3 clash with the Heat at Coffs Harbour.

BBL general manager Alastair Dobson said Curran’s remorse was acknowledged in the appeal process but respect for referees was essential.

“Umpires are part of the lifeblood of cricket and it is essential that they are respected and valued by players at all levels of the game,” Dobson said. “We acknowledge Tom’s remorse following the appeal and look forward to seeing him back in Sixers colors.

“Tom has been a long-standing contributor to the BBL and is a clear fan favorite and someone who we hope will continue to play an integral role in the competition moving forward.”

The Sixers issued a lengthy statement in which Curran expressed remorse for his actions.

“I have had a lot of time to reflect on my actions and the incident that occurred in Launceston on December 11,” Curran said.

“During my decade-long career, I have always endeavored to establish a friendly and respectful relationship with match officials, which I believe is reflected in the lack of previous breaches of the Code of Conduct across the world.

“Up until the moment of the incident, my interactions with umpire Qureshi on December 11 began in a manner consistent with the rest of my career, and we shared a laugh as he carried out his bat-measuring duties in the changing room.

“My preparation for each match is very methodical, and I’m very focused during the warm-up. Part of my preparation is to do runs and measure my progress on that particular surface. I do that before every match and for me, that’s important.” Part of my routine every match.

“The interaction with referee Qureshi surprised me at a time when I was so focused on my pre-match routine. I did not expect the confrontation that resulted.

“I am deeply sorry for the way I reacted to the matter and the resulting impact on Referee Qureshi, the Sydney Sixers and myself personally.

“It was always my intention to veer to the right of umpire Qureshi, in a similar way to my running at the other end. I never thought about bumping into him and I never thought that he would think that was my intention. However, on reflection, I should have changed my stance a meter or so away.” “That’s to my left. I won’t do the same if the situation arises again, and I’m sorry.”

“With the benefit of hindsight, I could also have reached out to referee Qureshi during the match to discuss the interaction, listen to his point of view and present my own. I regret not doing so.”

“Both the club and Tom would also like to apologize for not being able to speak about the incident until after the appeal has been heard today, as we progress through the judicial process.”Rachel Hines

“I am truly sorry that I chose to continue training at the direction of Hakam Qureshi, and if he thought that I sought physical contact with him.

“I would like to apologize to everyone for the impact this has had and thank those who have supported me through this very difficult time, especially Hannah Barnes, Greg Mell, Rachel Haynes and all the Sixers players and staff.

“I look forward to joining my teammates and getting back on the field on January 3 in Coffs Harbour.”

Sydney Sixers president Rachel Haynes defended her club’s decision to appeal the ban but accepted the outcome.

“We accept the conduct commissioner’s findings and the penalty imposed,” Haynes said.

“While we support Tom as a valued member of the club, we in no way condone any kind of disrespect towards the match officials. This was an unfortunate situation for which Tom has shown remorse.”

“We sought to appeal the original decision based on previous issues relating to the Code of Conduct. Although we disagreed that Tom had breached the Code through his conduct, we felt the charge was inconsistent with the other offences. Following the ruling, we respect that it was not permissible to breach it.” . the case.

“Both the club and Tom would also like to apologize for not being able to speak about the incident until after the appeal has been heard today, as we progress through the judicial process.”

“We will continue to support Tom throughout the season and look forward to our next match on Boxing Day.”