Ashes 2017-18: Tom Curran Replaces Injured Steven Finn; ECB Boss awaits Police Investigation
Apr 6, 2019 at 2:09 PM
Hours after England lanky fast bowler Steve Finn had been ruled out of the eagerly-awaited Ashes 2017-18 due to the knee injury, the promising youngster and Cape Town-born Tom Curran have been called in as the timelier replacement.
(Read Also: England’s tour of Australia: The Ashes 2017-18 Series Preview)
Dealt with the major blow during the impending traditional series, the England Cricket Board (ECB) banked on the 22-year-old rookie fast bowler as Finn would be flown home owing to the rehabilitation programme.
Interestingly, within 24 hours, the right-arm paceman Curran, who represented Surrey, will land in Perth in a bid to kick off the preparations for the Ashes.
Moreover, Curran played three Twenty20 internationals and a solitary One-day International for the Three Lions after making his debut against South Africa in June 2017.
Earlier, England has already availed the three debutants, as Curran joined as the fourth as we are little over two weeks away until the start of the first Test in Brisbane on November.
Curran played 51 first-class games in which he bagged 171 wickets at the average of 29.14
Following the controversy, the 28-year-old Finn replaced under investigation Ben Stokes when England’s 16-member Ashes squad was announced in the last week of September when Durham-star was inducted in the squad.
The Watford-born right-arm Finn played 36 Tests for England in which he bagged 125 wickets at the bowling average of 30.40.
VIDEO OF THE DAY:
On the other side, England chief Tom Harrison revealed the decision regarding Stokes would be taken after the Avon and Somerset police will complete its investigation regarding the street-fight which left the 27-year-old Ryan Hale with a facial injury.
The 26-year-old Stokes was allegedly charged with bodily harm in the wee-hour fracas with three men on September 25.
“There’s a process with the police and then a disciplinary process. As you’ll appreciate, these things take time and that’s the pattern we’re in at the moment,” Harrison was quoted as saying by AAP.
With the decision to decide the fate of Stokes this week, Harrison reiterated they are looking forward to the verdict while adding the board is in touch with the police.
“What happened was wrong, there’s no question about that,” Harrison maintained.
Harrison went on to say they are not expecting such unfortunate incidents when a player is on duty with the national side as a professional and law will take its course.
“You don’t want to see your sport in that position and there are consequences of that. We’re in a holding pattern at the minute,” Harrison asserted.
Harrison is concluding by remarking that the players are being instructed and informed to maintain the credibility and he believes Stokes’ case is more sort of a complicated one.