Nicholls, the injured Black Cap, will fly to England for a test series

Henry Nicholls will go to England with the New Zealand squad this weekend, but he will miss the first of three tests due to a calf injury, according to Black Caps coach Gary Stead.

There were fears that the 30-year-old middle-order batsman might miss the tour due to a training injury, but scans indicated that the calf muscle in his right leg had been strained rather than torn.

“While it’s encouraging that Henry hasn’t torn his calf,” Stead said in a statement, “the following two to three weeks will be critical in terms of his recovery and subsequent availability for the test series.”

“Calves can be difficult to rehab, and any return to match action must be done with caution to avoid re-injuring him.”

“At number five, Henry is obviously a key player for us, and we know he’ll do everything he can to make himself accessible.”