Nic Maddinson's 33-ball duck sets new Australian record after fairytale return

Durban: Nic Maddinson's return to Test cricket did not pan out the way he would have wanted to, as the opener was dismissed for a 33-ball duck in the first innings of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead here on Friday.

Maddinson made a return to Test cricket after almost 10 years since last featuring in December 2016 against Pakistan and defeated testicular cancer on a fairytale comeback into the international fold.

However, the Southpaw was dismissed for a duck by Marco Jansen in the 11th over early on Day 1 of the Test match, setting the record for the longest duck by an Australian opener in Test cricket. The record previously belonged to David Warner, who was dismissed for a 22-ball duck during the 2022 Ashes away series.

The all-time record for the longest duck by an opener belongs to former New Zealand cricketer Darrin Murray, who had bagged a 39-ball duck against Sri Lanka in 1995. Former Zimbabwe opener Trevor Gripper was dismissed for a 36-ball duck against the West Indies in 2000.

Maddinson showed patience in his stay as he left several balls. He was lucky to survive an LBW appeal in the fourth over when Wiaan Mulder had trapped him in front, but the Proteas were not sure whether the batter had got some bat on his missed flick, as they did not opt for a review. But he was dismissed a few overs later.

Meanwhile, Maddinson's comeback is a fairy-tale story. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in April 2025, as it spread to his lung and lymph nodes. He underwent chemotherapy and completed the course in July 2025.

The cricketer resumed training in September after recovering and getting the clearances two months after the last round of his treatment. Maddinson scored 126 in the One-Day Cup for New South Wales against Victoria after returning and, combined with injury issues to Australia, he made it to the national side. He has missed 88 Tests between the two appearances, which is now the Australian record too.

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