Blackcaps and Canterbury batter Henry Nicholls is on the hot seat after being reported by match umpires for ball tampering.
During Canterbury's Plunket Shield match with Auckland this week, Nicholls was captured allegedly scraping the ball across the rear rim of his helmet as he carried it between wickets just before tea on day two. Canterbury went on to win the match at Hagley Oval by two wickets.
Nicholls is seen shining the ball before appearing to run it across the helmet on three separate occasions in between overs.
On Friday, NZ Cricket confirmed Nicholls had been accused of breaching its code of conduct and will be investigated. The hearing date and potential penalty are yet to be determined.
"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," it said.
"Rule 3.1, article 1.15 involves changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 41.3 of the Laws of Cricket.
"As a Level 2 matter, the allegation will be referred to, and heard by an NZC First Class Commissioner."
According to cricket's laws, ball tampering includes any interference with the seam or surface of a ball or using any implement to gain an unfair advantage, as well as rubbing the ball on the ground.
NZ Cricket's Plunket Shield rules dictate players can use sweat but not spit to shine the ball, after changes inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The veteran of 52 tests and 72 one-day internationals for New Zealand has been in superb form for Canterbury.
He posted his second century (120) in as many matches during the game against Auckland, backing up the 124 and 61 he scored in his two innings during the draw against Otago a week earlier.
Nicholls wasn't selected for the Blackcaps' World Cup squad but will join the team in Bangladesh for a two-test series later this month.
The Cantabrian has been a fixture in the Blackcaps' test side since his debut in 2016, helping anchor the middle order of some of the best NZ teams in history, including the one which won the World Test Championship in 2021.
He starred during Sri Lanka's tour to New Zealand in March, scoring a career-high 200no in the second test win in Wellington to take his tally of test centuries to nine, alongside 12 50s.
The most recent high-profile case of ball tampering involved Australians David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith, who were were dealt severe sanctions for using sandpaper on a ball during a test against South Africa in 2018.
Smith and Warner were banned by Cricket Australia for 12 months from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft was banned for nine months.
