New Zealand test cricketer Henry Nicholls to face ball tampering charge

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 domestic first-class match this week. Television footage of the Plunket Shield match between Nicholls’ Canterbury province and Auckland appears to show Nicholls brushing the ball against a helmet during a change of ends. “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.