New Zealand check cricketer Henry Nicholls to face ball tampering cost

Test batter Henry Nicholls has been accused of breaking New Zealand Cricket’s code of conduct after being reported by umpires for ball tampering in a home first-class match this week.

Television footage of the Plunket Shield match between Nicholls’ Canterbury province and Auckland seems to indicate Nicholls brushing the ball towards a helmet throughout a change of ends.

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“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 mentioned in a press release Friday. The rule “involves changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 41.3 of the Laws of Cricket.”

New Zealand Cricket mentioned the allegation had been referred to a commissioner for first-class cricket.

No date has but been set for the listening to. Nicholls is because of tour Bangladesh with the New Zealand squad later this month.

Nicholls has not commented on the cost.

New Zealand’s main limited-overs gamers are in India competing on the Cricket World Cup, the place a win over Sri Lanka on Thursday moved the 2019 runnersup nearer to qualifying for the semifinals.