Somerset sign Nicholls for title push

Henry Nicholls scored 121 in the second innings to help New Zealand beat England in June [Getty Images] Somerset have bolstered their push for a maiden County Championship with the signing of New Zealand Test batter Henry Nicholls for the final six matches of the season. The 34-year-old bats at three for the Black Caps and scored a century at The Oval in June to help New Zealand to a 253-run win over England, which helped the tourists claim a 2-1 series win. The left-hander will be in the squad for Somerset's Division One game against Essex at Taunton on Thursday. Somerset sit second, five points behind leaders Notts, in a tightly congested table in which the top six sides are separated by just 11 points. Nicholls has featured in 60 Test matches for the Black Caps, scoring 3,358 runs at an average 39.50 with a best of 200 not out. In total, he has played in 141 First Class matches amassing more than 9,000 runs at an average of 42.51. He has also represented his country in 92 ODIs and 10 IT20s as well as featuring in the Big Bash for Sydney Thunder. Nicholls - who previously appeared for Derbyshire in 2018 and Worcestershire last season - told the club website: "I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying to help Somerset win their first County Championship title. "I've played in England before, so I know how much red ball cricket means. "As a cricketer, you want to test yourself in different conditions around the world and take on the best players, and this is the perfect opportunity for me to do exactly that and to help contribute to some success for Somerset." Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry added: "Henry is a batter of genuine quality and is an excellent addition to the squad. "He has played and performed at the very highest level and has a wealth of experience to add to our batting lineup."