If we accept that sporting tenures are results-based, then the Australian selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide should be conferring with the coach Andrew McDonald to submit a mass resignation. The opening moments of the first Test in Durban were enough to return the predictable harvest of one of the most bizarre selection decisions ever made for the national XI, with Nic Maddinson bowled for a torturous 33-ball duck, early impetus for Australia’s slide to 187 for 6 by the time bad light ended play.
Maddinson should not have lasted half that long, nailed on the pad by Wiaan Mulder after 15 balls but spared by umpire error and a timid South African non-review. Even that huge slice of luck never looked like becoming anything more. His innings went nowhere, shuffling, defensive, missing opportunities on his legs, dealing in extras. His only shots were a few cuts hurled at wild width, all air-swings until the bottom edge that took out his stumps.
Fault does not belong to Maddinson. It was the entirely predictable outcome of deciding that October 2026 was the time to catapult in a guy who hadn’t played first-class cricket since March 2025, and hadn’t played it well since March 2024.
If it was bizarre to bring him into squad, then into the XI, the finishing touch was sending him to the top of the order. The selectors’ defence a few days ago was that Maddinson is strong against spin, foreshadowing two South African slow bowlers against Australia’s middle order. But apparently words are meaningless, just a way to invent rationale after the fact. Because here was their spin specialist, given one of the toughest pace assignments in the world: opening the batting against bounce and movement in South Africa.
Australia have a nationally contracted opener sitting at home, in Jake Weatherald. They have his notional replacement, Matt Renshaw, who got one innings in the job. They have an entire Australia A squad running around in India and a Shield round full of openers with more recent game time. Apparently none of those were better options than a guy whose career record can be found in the British Museum inscribed into clay tablets.
Maddinson chopping on from Marco Jansen made the score 24 for 2, after Travis Head had already nicked Mulder down the leg-side. Yet again, an opening combo for Australia had made way for the throwback partnership of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
The latter especially looked the sharpest he has in a long time. His early flick through midwicket from Mulder set the tone, and he followed Smith’s lead in being busy against the left-arm spin of Keshav Maharaj, with Smith thumping Maharaj for two straight sixes in an over, and Labuschagne driving four through cover.
The stand of 60 by lunch was promising, having come in good time, but the last ball of the session swung the calculation. With the ball nipping in from the accurate Mulder, Labuschagne will probably claim to be aggrieved that ball-tracking showed a marginal umpire’s call on impact in line with off-stump, but the ball was going on to take out middle. Three balls and 40 minutes later, Smith was caught at gully straight after the lunch break, a ball after Jansen had pulverised his glove. Australia’s twin engines had made 37 and 25.
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That set the scene for a fierce Anrich Nortje spell, the moustachioed pace merchant getting short balls to leap uncomfortably at Alex Carey, around the wicket to the left-hander. As soon as the bowler moved over the wicket, with Carey hanging back for the bouncer, a fuller ball drew a drive to slip for 14. Beau Webster followed immediately, slight movement away drawing a nick that wasn’t given. Temba Bavuma had already burned two reviews by this stage, so it was a brave and correct call to risk his last.
At 124 for 6, disaster beckoned for Australia, but Renshaw got the bailing bucket in his unexpected new middle-order spot, and Pat Cummins joined his work. Renshaw batted time and used the occasional bad ball, while Cummins did not relish Nortje’s pace but used it effectively to pick off boundaries. Batting beyond the tea break, they took their partnership to 63 before the early close.
With only 65.2 overs faced, Australia have a vast amount of time left in this Test match. The challenge will be using it effectively. Renshaw will need the support of his bowlers to turn his 46 into something far more substantial on day two for the visitors to keep a foothold in the game. Their troubles do not hinge on a single selection decision, but that decision does reflect the specialist batting troubles that have become endemic in this side.