Black Caps test batter Henry Nicholls is under fire after video has emerged of him allegedly ball tampering.
At least three instances in which Nicholls is shown to have allegedly scraped the ball across the rear rim of a helmet occurred just before tea on day three of this week’s Plunket Shield game between Canterbury and Auckland in Christchurch. Canterbury won by eight wickets on Thursday.
New Zealand Cricket’s stream of the game shows the 31-year-old shining the ball with his sleeve, then allegedly connecting the ball with the helmet at the start of 32nd, 33rd and 35th overs of Auckland’s second innings.
NZC
Black Caps batter Henry Nicholls has been reported for alleged ball tampering.
A statement from New Zealand Cricket said the batter had been reported by the match umpires for allegedly breaching NZC’s code of conduct. The matter has been referred to a NZC first class commissioner. A timeline for a hearing, and potential penalty, is yet to be decided.
The game was umpired by Kim Cotton and Derek Walker. The match referee was former international umpire Gary Baxter.
Nicholls has been reported for allegedly breaching rule 3.1, article 1.15 of the code during the third day of the Plunket Shield match between Canterbury and Auckland at Hagley Oval.
The rule involves changing the condition of the ball in breach of law 41.3 of the laws of cricket.
Ball tampering can encompass rubbing the ball on the ground, interfering with its seam or surface, or using any implement that can alter the condition of the ball to thereby gain unfair advantage, as per cricket’s laws.
NZC’s 2023-24 Plunket Shield playing conditions says players can polish the ball on their clothing provided no “artificial” substance is used. Sweat can also be used, but not spit, following a rule change during Covid 19.
John Davidson/Photosport
Henry Nicholls of Canterbury celebrates a century on day two against Auckland.
Nicholls has been finding form on the domestic scene, scoring his 16th first-class century in the first innings against Auckland at Hagley Oval. It was his second century in two weeks after he scored 124 against Otago at Hagley Oval the previous week.
Nicholls was named in the Black Caps test squad on Tuesday to face Bangladesh in a two-test series starting in Sylhet on November 28. The squad is due to fly out on November 21. NZC could not comment whether the commissioner’s process would impact his involvement in the test series.
Nicholls wasn’t considered as cover for the side during the current one-day World Cup in India after suffering a side strain in a Plunket Shield warm-up game.
The left-handed batter made his test debut in 2016 and has 54 tests, 72 ODIs and 10 T20 internationals to his name.
Ball tampering in international cricket now carries a harsher penalty since Australian player Cameron Bancroft was caught by television cameras using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during a test against South Africa in 2018. Then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were banned for a year by Cricket Australia for their roles in the scandal.
Changing the condition of the ball, previously a level 2 offence, became a level 3 offence in international cricket in 2018. It meant a player found guilty of ball-tampering could be banned for up to six test matches or 12 ODIs.
Stuff has approached Nicholls for comment. The NZ Cricket Players’ Association and Canterbury Cricket have also been approached for comment.
Auckland Cricket chief executive Iain Laxon did not wish to comment.
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