Nic Maddinson made a 33-ball duck against South Africa in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban
The 34-year-old’s innings became the third-longest duck by a Test opener in Test history
It was the longest duck by a Test opener in the 21st century
Nic Maddinson’s Test comeback turned sour on Friday as the Australia opener made a 33-ball duck against South Africa in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban.
The 34-year-old’s 0 off 33 balls is the third-longest duck by an opener in Test history. It is also the longest innings for a duck by a Test opener in the 21st century.
Travis Head fell for nine, and Australia were in early trouble after Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat on the opening day. Maddinson had returned to the Test side after nearly a decade away. He missed 88 Tests for Australia during this period, which is a record.
Most Consecutive Tests Missed for Australia Between Appearances:
1. Nic Maddinson- 88
2. Brad Hogg- 78
3. Tim Paine- 78
Selection Debate Grows
The recall carried baggage. Maddinson was drafted into the squad as a replacement for the injured Cameron Green and returned to the Test set-up after overcoming testicular cancer.
His previous Test appearance came in the 2016-17 home summer. In that stint, he made just 27 runs across three matches. Before this series, his selection had already come under scrutiny because he had not played first-class cricket since early 2025.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden attacked the decision on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast. “Where we are at is that we are promoting the greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a generation of cricket,” Hayden said.
Hayden also took aim at chief selector George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide. “And if we continue to lay that out and expect that a bloke averaging 35 is going to average 55 in Test match cricket, George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, you are dreaming. I will just put it that simply. You are frigging dreaming. And you are piling up this dog s*** explanation, and you are, in my opinion, disrespecting first-class cricket. Absolutely dead set you are. You should be picking guys that are averaging 45 or more, and you can’t, because they don’t want to play,” Hayden said.
Australia’s Batting Test
The numbers fed that debate. Maddinson came into the match with a first-class average of 37.11.
Cummins had backed him before the series. The Australia captain said Maddinson was settled in his game.
Australia’s top order then came under pressure straight away after Head also fell cheaply. South Africa had recalled Anrich Nortje and gone in with two spinners for the Durban Test.
There was one notable omission. Kagiso Rabada missed the match as he continued his recovery from a hamstring injury.
