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Henry Nicholls was reported by umpires for
ball-tampering in a domestic first-class match, and he has been charged with
violating New Zealand Cricket’s code of conduct.
During a change of ends in this week’s Plunket Shield
match between Nicholls’ Canterbury and Auckland, Nicholls seemed to brush the
ball against a helmet on television.
“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.
The rule “involves changing the condition of the
ball in breach of Law 41.3 of the Laws of Cricket”.
According to New Zealand Cricket, a first-class
cricket commissioner has been tasked with reviewing the accusation. The hearing
has not yet been scheduled. Later this month, Nicholls and the New Zealand Test
team are scheduled to tour Bangladesh.
Nicholls has not responded to the accusation.
In Canterbury vs. Auckland, Nicholls was a major
factor in propelling his team to an eight-wicket victory. Following their first
innings defeat by bowling out Auckland for 217, Canterbury declared their first
innings at 413 for 9, with Nicholls top-scoring with 120. After Canterbury
reached the mark of 61 for the loss of two wickets, he scored another thirty
without losing a wicket.
It was Canterbury’s first win of the Plunket Shield
season. They are currently in fourth place on the six-team table.
New Zealand’s leading limited-overs players are in
India competing at the ODI World Cup, where a win over Sri Lanka on Thursday
moved the 2019 runners-up closer to qualifying for the semi-finals.