Maddinson out for 0 as Australia field first all-30s Test XI in Durban

Australia’s ageing batting line-up was exposed on the opening day of their Test tour of South Africa in Durban on Friday, with Nic Maddinson dismissed for a 33-ball duck. For the first time in Test cricket history, Australia selected a playing XI without a single player below the age of 30.

Selectors turned to Maddinson for the series against South Africa after a prolonged absence from red-ball cricket; he had not played first-class cricket since March 2025 and his last Test appearance dated to 2016. Concerns over a thin pipeline of younger batsmen have persisted, with Nathan McSweeney—who was 25 when he made his Test debut in 2024—and 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who received an opportunity later that year, failing to secure long-term places.

Maddinson’s return followed a lengthy personal battle with illness: he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, underwent surgery to remove it and, seven weeks later, further tests showed the disease had spread to abdominal lymph nodes and his lung. His wife, Bianca, was pregnant with their second child when he began chemotherapy; she left her job as a dentist to care for their toddler son while he went through treatment. Maddinson completed treatment on July 14, waited another two months before being cleared to resume full training, welcomed the birth of his second son, Wilder, and has urged people to seek medical attention if they notice anything abnormal.

On Friday he faced 33 deliveries before being dismissed without scoring—the most balls an Australian opener has faced in a Test innings without getting off the mark. Maddinson attempted to cut a delivery from Marco Jansen that was neither short nor wide enough and inside-edged the ball onto his stumps.

Other Australian batsmen offered limited resistance: Travis Head fell for nine after edging a Wiaan Mulder delivery down the leg side to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, Steve Smith made 25 before being caught by Mulder at gully off Jansen, and Marnus Labuschagne was trapped lbw by Mulder for 37 off 58 balls with the final delivery before lunch. Labuschagne struck six fours and entered the match with an average that had fallen to 26.26 across his previous 21 Tests.

Australia reached 100 for four in the second session having lost Head, Maddinson, Smith and Labuschagne, then lost Alex Carey and Beau Webster cheaply to be 124 for 6 later in that session on Friday.

For a side searching for answers in red-ball cricket, the early collapse offered another reminder that experience alone may not be enough to secure the future of Australia’s batting.