Watch the bizarre moment England cricketer Tom Curran runs at full speed towards an umpire as star is hit with huge ban in the Big Bash League

Tom Curran has been banned for four Big Bash League matches after being found guilty of intimidating a match official, although Sydney Sixers will appeal the disciplinary sanction.

Curran, the older brother of England all-rounder Sam Curran, was charged with a level 3 offense under Cricket Australia's code of conduct following the incident in which he inexplicably bumped into reserve umpire Muhammad Quereshi before the Sixers' win over the Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston . December 11.

Television footage showed the 28-year-old being advised by Quereshi that he should not practice his bowling run-up on the match field after doing so – only the captains and coaches of the respective teams are allowed to continue. the cut strip before playing according to the rules of the game.

However, Curran, himself a 60-cap player, then switched to the other side of the field in an attempt to repeat the trick, leading to the official acting as a human blocker at the bowling alley.

“You can run here,” Quereshi could be heard saying over the stump microphones, pointing to an adjacent strip, “not here,” gesturing toward the field itself.

The all-rounder is said to have intimidated an umpire during a Big Bash League match

After a brief pause, Curran, who was standing at the top of his target twenty yards away, charged in as if to bowl, running straight at the official before sidestepping at the last moment and throwing his front foot into the landing area of the bowlers planted.

After Curran veered off the playing surface, the clip released by Australia's Channel 7 appeared to bleep an expletive.

“Curran was seen in the footage gesturing to the umpire to move away from the field,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.

'Curran then attempted to make a practice run-up and run at pace straight towards the umpire who was standing in the bowling alley opposite Curran. The referee stepped to the right to avoid the risk of a collision.'

Curran claimed bowling figures of three for 19 and went on to hit the winning runs in the six-wicket success for the visiting team.

The Surrey player disputed the charge but will now miss four of the Sixers' 10 group stage matches pending an appeal from his franchise.

Sixers chief Rachael Haynes confirmed they would support their player and 'vigorously appeal the sanction'.

Haynes said: 'Tom and the club maintain that Tom did not knowingly or intentionally intimidate any match official, and on legal advice we will exercise our right to appeal the decision. We will support Tom during this period and look forward to him returning to the field.”

The Sydney Sixers say they will 'vigorously' appeal the sanction

Meanwhile, another Surrey player, Gus Atkinson, says he is looking forward to the physical examination the bowlers undergo in Indian conditions after receiving his first Test call-up.

Atkinson, bought for £95,000 by Kolkata Knight Riders at the Indian Premier League auction earlier this week, will offer one of the pace options to England captain Ben Stokes in the five-match series starting next month.

“In terms of my career, I've obviously played more white-ball cricket, but I want to play all formats and skill-wise I think I'm there,” he said.

'Trying to keep my pace up will be a tough challenge, always requiring me to run in it. It will be difficult as a seamer to get wickets there, but the key will be to just stay as consistent and patient as possible.”