Selectors ‘hoping to hit a bullseye’ as Maddinson fails in 33-ball duck
Nic Maddinson’s return to the Test side started horribly in Durban with a 33-ball duck leading to a claim from Mark Waugh that selectors are “throwing darts at a dartboard, hoping for a bullseye”.
Maddinson was a shock late selection in the Test squad, having not played a first class match since March 2025.
Nic Maddinson chops on. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
The left-hander’s recall made for a heart-warming story after recovering from testicular cancer last year. However, the on-field side of the story brought criticism towards selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide.
Matthew Hayden was the loudest critic, raging that selectors are promoting the “greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a generation”.
Maddinson was in a battle to be selected for the first Test among Cooper Connolly and Sam Harper after Cameron Green and Josh Inglis were injured.
Maddinson and Harper were only called up due to Inglis’ injury.
The 34-year-old Maddinson was then put at the top of the order for the first Test with Matt Renshaw batting at five.
The bowling of Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen proved too tough for Maddinson, who couldn’t get off the mark in a 33-ball innings.
Both openers had a clear plan for Maddinson, refusing to give him any width and keeping the ball full.
Eventually, he tried to cut a fuller delivery and chopped on a Jansen delivery.
His wicket meant Australia was 2-24 early after Travis Head edged behind.
Maddinson was lucky to have not been given out earlier when Mulder trapped him on the pads and South Africa chose not to review. Ball tracking showed the opener would’ve been out.
At the lunch break, Waugh noted that Maddinson looked “nervous” before throwing a barb at selectors.
“His technique was slightly exposed,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“Yeah you can get a duck, but I didn’t like the way he was falling over, his head position was a bit Jake Weatherald like. He’ll look back and think, I can do a better than that.
“It looks like selectors are throwing darts at a darts board and hoping to hit a bullseye, hoping something will pay off.”
Waugh went on to later say selectors were “gambling” with the batting order.
Mark Waugh throws an imaginary dart. Fox Cricket
Australia’s batting order stumbled alongside Maddinson, with Head (9), Marnus Labuschagne (37), Steve Smith (25), Alex Carey (14) and Beau Webster (4) failing to repay Pat Cummins’ faith in them when he won the toss and batted first.
Cummins and Renshaw led the fightback with a 63-run partnership before bad light stopped play.
