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BLACK Caps’ communications man Willy Nicholls has made quite the cameo in Zimbabwe. Nicholls, the older brother of New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls, made a surprise appearance in the final session of day three as a substitute fielder in the 259-run thumping of Zimbabwe A in Harare on Sunday.

He made an immediate impact taking a catch at mid on, off spinner Ish Sodhi’s bowling, to dismiss Zimbabwe A number nine batsman Tapiwa Mufudza for three.

Nicholls is New Zealand Cricket’s digital and communications executive and is travelling through Africa with the team.

The Christchurch native is no cricket dud. He has played at senior level for the Diamond Harbour-Kaituna club in the Ellesmere competition in Canterbury.

Nicholls was happy to pocket the catch, given his baggy attire.

“They were the brother’s pants. Looked like skydiving pants,” he told TV One.

New Zealand thumped Zimbabwe A in the three-day warm-up match.

It was a memorable outing for the Nicholls family with Henry hitting 52 retired in the first innings.

Nicholls is not the first member of the media to get on the park for the national team.

Back in 1988, TVNZ journalist Ken Nicholson had to take the field for New Zealand in a test against India in Bangalore.

He and former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney, who had been retired for 18 months and was commentating on the game, fielded for the side after a number of players were sidelined by a violent stomach bug.

Radio commentator Bryan Waddle was also ready to take the field, if required.

Nicholson, a first class cricketer in earlier times for Otago, was warmly applauded by the crowd every time he fielded the ball.

New Zealand take on Zimbabwe in the first of two tests, beginning in Bulawayo on Thursday. – Stuff