Nic Maddinson’s return to Test cricket was halted in its tracks as he recorded a 33-ball duck in Australia’s first innings against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, on Friday. His failure to score despite facing 33 deliveries is the longest innings for a duck by a Test opener in the 21st century and the third-longest duck ever recorded by an opener in Test history.
The 34-year-old Maddinson was dismissed shortly after Travis Head fell for nine, leaving Australia in early trouble on the opening day. Captain Pat Cummins had won the toss and elected to bat, but the top order struggled against a South African attack that included two spinners and saw the absence of Kagiso Rabada, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
Maddinson was recalled to the Test side as a replacement for the injured Cameron Green. His comeback came nearly a decade after his last Test appearance, which was during Australia’s 2016-17 home summer where he scored just 27 runs in three matches. Prior to this series, Maddinson had not played first-class cricket since early 2025, a fact that raised questions about his readiness for international cricket.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden criticized the selectors for choosing Maddinson, expressing his doubts on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast. Hayden described the current selection pool as “the greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a generation of cricket.” He also took aim at chief selector George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide for expecting players with modest first-class averages to excel at Test level.
“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. “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.”
Hayden added that the selectors were disrespecting first-class cricket by picking players with averages below 45, a threshold he believes is necessary for Test selection. Maddinson’s first-class average of 37.11 was often cited in debates around his recall.
Despite the criticism, Cummins had voiced confidence in Maddinson ahead of the series. “He’s settled in his game,” Cummins said, backing the batter’s inclusion.
The opening day’s struggles for Australia continued as the middle order was tested against a South African bowling attack that made tactical changes by recalling Anrich Nortje and opting for two spinners. Australia’s early batting issues highlighted the challenges they face on South African pitches without some of their key players.
Maddinson’s 33-ball duck hangs over his return and adds to the scrutiny of Australia’s selection policy as they try to establish a stable lineup while dealing with injuries and form issues. The first Test in Durban continues with Australia’s batting under pressure after the early dismissals of their openers.
According to Yahoo Sports.