Nic Maddinson’s Test return ended in a 33-ball duck — the longest by an Australian opener — as Australia stumbled to 187 for 6 on day one against South Africa in Durban.
Recalled for his first Test since 2016 and named to open after Pat Cummins won the toss and batted at Kingsmead, the 34-year-old faced 33 deliveries without scoring before chopping on to Marco Jansen, cricket.com.au and BBC Sport reported.
Record duck on a long-awaited return
According to ABC Sport, Maddinson’s 33-ball effort is the longest duck by an Australian opener in Test cricket and the second-longest Australian duck overall, behind only Mark Whitney’s 42-ball zero in 1981. BBC Sport said it was the third-longest duck by any Test opener.
cricket.com.au’s Josh Schonafinger, at the ground, described a 33-ball, 49-minute stay in which Maddinson missed balls on his pads and flashed at wide ones before the chop-on near the end of Jansen’s opening spell.
He had earlier survived an lbw appeal from Wiaan Mulder that South Africa did not review; replays later showed three reds, ABC Sport and BBC Sport reported.
Australia slip to 6-124 before the fightback
Travis Head fell for nine, caught down the leg side off Mulder, BBC Sport said. Marnus Labuschagne made 37 before being given lbw to Mulder on the last ball before lunch, with DRS upholding the on-field call, according to cricket.com.au and ABC Sport.
Steve Smith, on 25, edged Jansen to gully three balls after the break, the delivery after being struck on the finger, cricket.com.au reported. Anrich Nortje then removed Alex Carey and Beau Webster in the space of three balls to leave Australia 6-124, Schonafinger wrote.
Renshaw and Cummins steady the innings
Matthew Renshaw (46 not out) and Cummins (33 not out) added an unbroken 63 for the seventh wicket before bad light ended play early with Australia 187 for 6 after 65.2 overs, cricket.com.au and BBC Sport said. South Africa are yet to bat.
Day two is scheduled to resume at 9:30am local time (6:30pm AEDT), cricket.com.au reported, with session times extended amid further light concerns.
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