Henry Nicholls has more than 5,000 international runs after appearing in 54 Tests, 72 ODIs, and 10 T20Is for New Zealand.
New Zealand Test player Henry Nicholls has been charged with violating New Zealand Cricket’s code of conduct after being accused by umpires for ball-tampering in a local first-class match, according to ESPNcricinfo. According to the allegation, during a change of ends during this week’s Plunket Shield match between Nicholls’ Canterbury and Auckland, Nicholls seemed to brush the ball against a helmet.
“Nicholls has been reported for allegedly breaching Rule 3.1, article 1.15 of the Code during Day 3 of the Plunket Shield match between Canterbury and Auckland at Hagley Oval,” New Zealand Cricket said in a statement Friday, according to sources.
It “involves changing the condition of the ball in violation of Law 41.3 of the Laws of Cricket,” according to the law.
The allegation has been sent to a first-class cricket commissioner, according to New Zealand Cricket. The hearing date has not yet been set. Nicholls will go with the New Zealand Test squad to Bangladesh later this month. Nicholls has yet to reply to the charge.
Nicholls led Canterbury to an eight-wicket victory over Auckland in their match. Canterbury declared their first innings on 413 for 9, after Auckland were bowled out for 217, with Nicholls top-scoring with 120. He hit another unbeaten 30 for the cost of two wickets when Canterbury set a winning goal of 61.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s finest limited-overs players are in India for the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, where the 2019 runners-up moved closer to the semifinals with a win over Sri Lanka on Thursday.