In his youth primarily a football goalkeeper who played for some time with Queen's Park Rangers, Nichols' prowess at cricket during the summer brought him to the attention of the Essex committee during the early 1920s, who recommended him as a left-handed batsman.

His hard-hitting left-handed batting had become strong in front of the wicket, whilst reducing his pace made his bowling less wayward and more effective.

So highly though of was Nichols that the following year he played for England in the Ashes series of 1930 but did little; however, his batting in two Representative Matches (since canonised as Tests) in New Zealand had been successful.

With Larwood, Bowes and Gubby Allen the first-choice pace bowlers by this time, Nichols had little opportunity in the following years for playing in home Tests or Ashes tours; however his county form, apart from a decline in his bowling in 1934 due to injury, remained consistent and he was rewarded by a Cricketer of the Year nomination in the 1934 Wisden after his batting and bowling gave Essex their best season since 1897.

That summer also saw Nichols produce his best cricket to date with 157 wickets and over 1400 runs in all matches, including an all-round feat in a defeat of Yorkshire at Huddersfield.