New Zealand cricketers Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum have each been fined NZ$500 following an incident at a Durban nightclub last week, the New Zealand Cricket said on Thursday.

Cairns was assaulted as he left the Tiger Tiger club and knocked to the ground, but was not seriously hurt.

The NZC said in a statement on its Web site that chief executive Martin Snedden had investigated the incident.

"Behaviour exhibited by some of the players at the Tiger Tiger nightclub on the evening in question was unacceptable and should not be allowed either by the players or team management to reoccur," the NZC said in the statement.

"Based on the information to hand, the conduct of two players, Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum, may constitute misconduct.

"Subsequent to the players receiving that report, both Cairns and McCullum have admitted misconduct. They have both apologised for their actions and have been fined $500 each by NZC."

The statement also said that team manager Jeff Crowe was directed to tighten up "existing deficiencies" in the team's protocols and procedures.

Nathan Astle, Chris Harris, Mathew Sinclair and Shane Bond were the only members of the 15-man squad not present at the nightclub.

Snedden said the remaining 11 players had been reprimanded and reminded of their "responsibilities to act professionally off the field".