New Zealand batsman Nicholls fit ahead of Windies Tests

New Zealand Test batsman Henry Nicholls, who is likely to man the middle-order in the Test series against West Indies next month, has returned from calf injury as he took the field for Canterbury in the domestic Plunkett Shield competition on Saturday.

Canterbury went to stumps at 96 without loss with another Test batsman Tom Latham unbeaten on 45. Nicholls is due to bat one-down.

The 28-year-old batsman missed the opening three rounds of the Plunket Shield due to calf injury. He has been selected in the New Zealand A squad to face the West Indies in three-day (November 20-22) and four-day matches in Queenstown (November 26-29) and will most likely bat in the middle-order in Test matches.

The left-handed batsman has played 33 Test matches and scored five centuries.

New Zealand play three T20Is (November 27, 29 and 30) against West Indies followed by two Test matches, starting in Hamilton on December 3, then in Wellington from December 11.