Maddinson's record duck highlights Australia's struggles against South Africa
Nic Maddinson records the longest duck by a Test opener this century as Australia's ageing batting lineup struggles against South Africa in Durban.
For every major sporting fairytale, there are countless examples of competition refusing to follow a neat script. On Friday morning in Durban, 34-year-old Australia batter Nic Maddinson experienced the stubbornness of the sporting gods firsthand.
Maddinson's shock recall to Australia's Test side is notable because he only returned to cricket 12 months ago after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in April 2025. He missed most of last year to undergo surgery and chemotherapy.
His return to the Test arena, almost 10 years after his previous three appearances, proved to be tortuous. He faced 33 balls without scoring a run, making his duck the longest by an Australian opener in Test history and the third-longest by any Test opener this century.
Of the 33 deliveries faced, the left-hander missed 13 and edged one when an attempted cut off Marco Jansen crashed back onto his stumps. He could have departed even earlier had the Proteas reviewed an lbw appeal on his 15th ball.
Maddinson's struggles also illuminated a wider issue regarding an ageing Australian side. Selecting him over 23-year-old Cooper Connolly meant Australia named an entire playing XI aged over 30 for the first time in their history.
By the midpoint of day one, Australia stumbled to 127-6, with Matt Renshaw remaining as the only frontline batter alongside established veterans. Marnus Labuschagne batted well for 37 before falling lbw to Wiaan Mulder right before lunch, extending his streak without a Test century to 44 innings.
Before the match, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden criticized the selection by stating that selectors were disrespecting first-class cricket. Due to his cancer treatment, Maddinson's only domestic matches since March 2025 had been in white-ball cricket.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg defended the decision during the lunch interval, noting that selectors firmly believed in the player's talent. With a heavy fixture list ahead and an ageing bowling attack, Australia faces mounting scrutiny as the series unfolds.