"Tom Curran Is Really Worried About The Assassination Of His Character" - Moises Henriques

Updated - 22 Dec 2023, 06:58 PM

Tom Curran and Moises Henriques
Tom Curran and Moises Henriques (Image Credits: Twitter)

Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques addressed his teammate Tom Curran‘s four-game suspension in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 season. Moises Henriques acknowledged that Tom Curran has been experiencing a challenging period in the past few days.

On Thursday, Tom Curran faced a level-three offense charge under clause 2.17 of the code of conduct. The charge was related to an incident that occurred during the warm-up before the Sydney Sixers’ match against the Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston on December 11.

Curran performed practice run-ups on the pitch before the Sydney Sixers match. The fourth umpire, stationed to oversee the proceedings, warned the all-rounder not to run on the pitch. The umpire later blocked his path, instructing him to move away from the pitch.

He relocated to the opposite end of the pitch to execute his practice run-ups. Despite the fourth umpire gesturing for Curran to move away, he continued to run straight at him. Tom ran at near full tilt, avoiding a collision as the umpire sidestepped to avoid a collision.

Pretty Tough Time For Tom Curran – Moises Henriques

Speaking on Friday, Moises Henriques acknowledged that Tom Curran expressed concern about the impact on his character. Henriques noted that Curran has taken the situation to heart and is genuinely worried about the perceived character assassination.

“It’s been a pretty tough time for TC (Curran) over the past 11 or 12 days sitting on this. Knowing what he’s like, he’s taken this to heart and he’s really worried about the assassination of his character. (Umpire intimidation is) a big claim, so I’m wishing him the best,” Henriques told Fox Cricket.

Tom Curran delivered a standout performance against the Hurricanes, securing three wickets for 19 runs in four overs. He also played a crucial role by scoring a boundary in the final over, helping his team achieve a six-wicket victory in their second match of the event.

I’m Very Surprised – Moises Henriques

Henriques expressed surprise at the decision to impose a four-game ban on Curran for umpire intimidation. He emphasized that while they don’t condone inappropriate behavior towards umpires, he couldn’t understand the severity of the penalty.

“I’m very surprised. We obviously don’t condone any untoward behavior towards the umpire or any umpiring staff, but I still can’t quite understand the decision,” Henriques added.

“I just can’t help but think we haven’t quite understood the context of the altercation. (Curran) is a great man. He’s a real leader in the community, he’s a leader amongst our team. I’m still struggling to comprehend that penalty for what he’s done,” he further stated.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) acquired the services of Tom Curran in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mini-auction held in Dubai. The England all-rounder was secured at his base price of ₹1.50 crore during the second round of the accelerated stage.

The 28-year-old fast bowler had previous stints with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the cash-rich league. The pacer played 13 IPL matches, securing 13 wickets at a disappointing economy rate of over 10.80 per over.

Also read: BBL 2023-24: RCB’s New Acquisition Tom Curran Faces Four-Match Suspension After Intimidating Umpire