NZ test star Henry Nicholls cleared of ball tampering
Wellington, Nov 12: New Zealand Test batter Henry Nicholls has been cleared of ball tampering charges by a New Zealand Cricket code of conduct hearing.
Nicholls was reported by umpires after a domestic first class match last week between his Canterbury province and Auckland. Live stream coverage of the match appeared to show Nicholls, while fielding, brushing the ball on a helmet during the change of ends on the third day of the match Wednesday.
Nicholls was reported under Rule 3.1, Article 1.15 of the Code of Conduct which involves changing the condition of the ball. The charge was referred to a first class Commissioner.
In a statement on Sunday, New Zealand Cricket said Nicholls had been cleared of the charge. He is free to play in Canterbury's next match and is due to tour Bangladesh with the New Zealand team later this month.
"A disciplinary hearing conducted yesterday by independent commissioners Lee Robinson and John Greenwood examined evidence and heard submissions from Nicholls, match umpires Kim Cotton and Derek Walker, Canterbury coach Peter Fulton, Canterbury High Performance Manager Ant Sharp and New Zealand Cricket Players Association representative Evan Jones," the statement said.
"The Commissioners found that neither the actions of Nicholls nor the evidence presented met the threshold required to rule a breach of the Code under Rule 3.1, Article 1.15 (Appendix A).
"We find the player's actions were, in fact, unlikely to alter the condition of the ball or the shape of the ball."
Nicholls has played 54 tests for New Zealand and has scored nine centuries and 12 half-centuries. In his last test, he scored an unbeaten double century against Sri Lanka.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
