Brothers in Cricket: The ‘middle’ Curran looks to come full circle

By Cricbuzz

From a farm in Rusape, in eastern Zimbabwe, cricket’s Curran brothers have travelled in different directions.

As the three sons of Kevin Curran, one of Zimbabwe’s finest cricketing exports, the trio were destined for careers in the game. The all-rounder was part of a giant-killing Chevrons side who beat Australia in their very first ODI match, during the 1983 World Cup, with Curran part of a 70-run sixth-wicket partnership. He shone throughout that tournament for a side who were more than a decade away from tasting professionalism.

After 11 ODIs – encompassing 287 runs and nine wickets – he moved to England and had a very successful county career, largely with Northamptonshire – he passed 1000 runs in five separate seasons – before returning to Zimbabwe in the 2000s to coach the national side, allowing his sons to grow up in the African nation.

Following his unexpected death in 2012 – while on a morning run, at the age of 53 – his teenage offspring moved to England. Tom was picked up by Surrey, who saw him playing school cricket in South Africa, where he was on a scholarship, and he and younger brother Sam have since represented the southern county for years, as well as finding success with England, winning a World Cup each.

Middle brother Ben, who is now 28, moved to Northamptonshire after his brothers’ Surrey careers started, having impressed the side while playing for MCC Young Cricketers. After four years in Northampton ended in 2022, he has now committed to being back in Zimbabwe, where he is eligible to represent the national side.

Last season saw him notch 458 runs in the Logan Cup – Zimbabwe’s premier first-class league – including two half-centuries and one ton. Curran hopes his exploits over years of wintering in Zimbabwe, as well as the coming season with Mid West Rhinos, can see him join his brothers in the international game.

It would be a fitting moment for more than just the opportunity to follow the legacy Kevin left behind, as it could potentially see Curran play against one of his siblings; England recently announced that they will host Zimbabwe for a one-off Test next year, breaking a two-decade hiatus in bilateral fixtures between the two sides.

Both Tom and Sam have played each format for England, such has been their quality, and while the former is currently a white-ball only player, Sam has been tipped by some for a return to Test cricket given recent form in all formats, with his last Test coming in 2021. The novelty of playing against his brothers in international cricket – having only once played against Sam and never against Tom – is not lost on Ben.

“What a story it would be, right?” Curran tells Cricbuzz. “We’ll have to take that as it comes, if it were to happen, it would be probably pretty weird, special, mixed emotions all round. Probably have to think of mum, what she’d be thinking, she’d have a lot more emotions running through her I would think.”

Hopes of representing Zimbabwe would see everything come full circle for Curran, with his route to a potential international spot obviously different to his brothers.

“I think my accent would give it a way a little bit. I have lived in both England and Zimbabwe, but I guess my connection to Zimbabwe is pretty strong, with the fact I grew up and spent most of my childhood there, and with my parents being from there,” Curran explains, speaking from England ahead of his return to Zimbabwe for the domestic season.

“We went [to Zimbabwe] when we were real young, I think I was probably four, five, after my dad had finished playing for Northampton. We moved, I guess you could technically say back to Zimbabwe, and I spent most of my childhood there, went to school there; more than half my life.”

Curran learned his trade in the African nation, with the farming community in Rusape very sports-orientated. Family member Kenyon Ziehl suggests that Ben and his brothers’ competitive spirits were developed there, with cricket coursing through their veins.

He made strides in cricket, having also played rugby, golf and squash, before being selected to play for the Zimbabwe under-13 cricket side. The family’s move to England would come some three years later, with Ben a 16-year-old fresh out of school. At that stage Sam was still growing up, and Tom had already experienced both South Africa and England, so it’s easy to see how the middle brother’s connection to Zimbabwe might have remained more than theirs.

“I guess Sam came over [to England] a lot younger than me, he hasn’t really been back to Zimbabwe too much, whereas for me I go back and have been going back for the last five or so years in the winter, so I’ve kept that connection – one I enjoy exploring,” Curran says.

He is eager not to diminish his brothers’ connection to their former home, but the fact that they have both represented England suggests they may feel more English than Zimbabwean these days. “But that’s the thing, right, everyone’s got different feelings and opinions, that’s a question you’d have to ask them,” says Ben. “They might have a different answer to me on that as they are representing England.”

The past few years of Curran’s life have seen him spend the southern hemisphere summers with Southern Rocks and Mid West Rhinos – professional cricket sides in Zimbabwe – and he is soon to play in the Zim Afro T10. Cricketing stints in the country started when he was still on the staff at Northamptonshire – where his late father Kevin spent nine years – so his commitment to playing in the African nation again is not out of the blue.

“I kept that connection going, I’ve got friends and family, cousins who still live there, I enjoyed going back in the winter, it gave me an opportunity to play a bit more first-class cricket in the offseason, 50-over and T20 stuff. It gave me an opportunity to perform and I guess play in different conditions,” Curran says.

“I’m committed to being in Zimbabwe, but obviously in their winter there’s not too much cricket that’s going on, so I have been playing club cricket [in England] as the overseas player, for Wokingham. Because I’m a local player in Zimbabwe now, I’m not allowed to play in both countries as a local. I would be happy to play any representative cricket [for a Zimbabwe side in the English summer].”

For Curran, not only does his commitment to Zimbabwe give him hope of representing them, but it allows him to continue to connect with a nation for which there should be no question of his love.

“Ever since I left school I’ve been back most years, whether that’s for a quick holiday if I can, or once I started playing professionally going back in the [English] winters,” Curran explains.

“I also enjoy going back and exploring what Zimbabwe has to offer as a country. It’s a very relaxed lifestyle, I loved growing up there, the schools we went to were very good schools. There’s a lot more space with regards to being outdoors, especially in the winter in England. It gives you a lot of freedom. I tend to stay with family; my dad’s sisters are there, and their daughters, who I’m very close with.”

Father Kevin’s crucial role in each sons’ cricketing development is clear, setting the bar high. They also watched him coach the Zimbabwe national side as they were growing up. But it is Ben’s career which seems to have more closely mimicked his late father’s, first with Northants, and now potentially with Zimbabwe – Kevin was a revered figure for both sides.

“The fact that my dad played there [Northamptonshire] for such a long period of time, it made it that bit more special, being that there were a lot of guys at the club that actually played with him. Allan Lamb is obviously a great family friend. The whole Lamb family, Lindsay and Lamby, still live in Northampton, so it allowed me to spend time with them when I was there.

“The coach at the time, David Ripley, he knew my dad. David Sales, who was batting coach, was a youngster coming through when my dad played, so he had a few stories. I loved my time there, it was great to be able to play for Northampton, and that affiliation with the club and my dad having played there made it extra special.

“It’s full circle, right? He played at Northampton, I did, and now I’m hopefully going to go back and also represent Zimbabwe, where he played and also coached, so it would be great if that happened.”

With everything – his return to his homeland, and the potential of playing international cricket, against his brothers or otherwise – Curran is eager not to take too many steps forward at once, but is hopeful that he can show he’s capable of competing in Zimbabwe colours.

“There’s always a chance, I’ve just got to go back and perform consistently, and that gives me the best opportunity. At the end of the day, it’s results-based. It’s one of those where I’ve got to do all I can, and control what I can control, and hopefully that puts me in the best position going forward.”