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Katich critical of bizarre decision
Former Test opener Simon Katich was critical of the decision to play Nic Maddinson at the top of the order rather than Matthew Renshaw.
Renshaw was drafted back into the Australian squad to replace axed opener Jake Weatherald but, curiously, Maddinson was made to open in Durban instead.
As we know, the outcome was a 33-ball duck. His innings could not have been more disastrous.
“How can you keep justifying the chopping and changing and some of the decision-making?” Katich, who is in South Africa commentating for SEN, said.
“There is a certain type of player who can handle roles in Test cricket and that is why the order is important.
“The question is: are they putting the right types of players in the right types of roles? At the moment, the engine room, the top four, South Africa has exploited them again today. And it has been like that for a while.”
Former Test quick Brendon Julian had sympathy for Renshaw.
“It worries me about Renshaw. The batting gets mucked about a bit,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“He comes in for one Test (and) all of a sudden he’s batting five and he’s shuffling all around the order to fit in someone else that hasn’t played for a long, long time.”
Renshaw and Cummins dug Aussies out of a deep hole
The partnership between Matthew Renshaw and captain Pat Cummins late on day one – an unbeaten stand of 63 – saved Australia’s blushes.
There was genuine concern when Beau Webster lost his wicket that the tourists may not reach 200, with the loss of Webster for 4 making it 6-124.
But Renshaw and Cummins combined for a crucial half-century stand to take the Aussies’ first-innings total to 187.
Renshaw is on 46 and the skipper 33.
“I think there were moments in the game there where I felt like we were getting close to having the foot on the throat, and probably ‘Kez’ (Alex Carey) and I were very close,” Renshaw said.
“We got through a good spell from (Marco) Jansen after lunch and then a good spell from (Anrich) Nortje.
“I think we were very close to getting the foot on the throat. Unfortunately ‘Kez’ got out there.
“And then with Paddy it was just about rebuilding, scoring when we could, Paddy getting a few balls in his area and me probably being a bit more content with dot balls.”
Renshaw’s support for Maddinson after horror comeback innings
Matthew Renshaw has backed Nic Maddinson to come good after his shock recall to the Australian XI resulted in a 33-ball duck.
Maddinson hadn’t played Test cricket since 2016, and first-class since March 2025, but Australia’s selectors parachuted the 34-year-old into the squad as injury cover after Cameron Green and Josh Inglis were struck down.
They then named the left-hander in the XI and threw him in as an opener, rather than a middle-order batter.
What followed was the longest duck by an Australian opener in Test history, drawing from available balls-faced data.
Renshaw had words of support for Maddinson at stumps.
“I think it’s just what opening batters have to deal with,” Renshaw said of the difficulty of opening in Test cricket.
“I think we all know how hard it is to do that.
“Unfortunately for Maddo it wasn’t to be today, but we know that cricket’s a weird old game sometimes. I think sometimes you feel like it’s just one of those games.
“He’ll come out the other side of that.
“He’s fine; it’s just cricket.”
Top of the morning
Good morning!
It’s Zachary Gates jumping on bright and early to cover the wash-up of day one of the first Test.
Stay tuned for a series of posts over the next couple of hours, beginning with a Matthew Renshaw press conference.
Goodbye!
That’ll do us for the live action.
We’ll re-heat this blog in the morning for all the press conference reaction from day one.
Bad light has stopped play
With Australia 8-187, it looks like we’ll have no more cricket.
The umpires have taken the players off for bad light. Pat Cummins is on 33 and Matt Renshaw has 46.
Under the new rules implemented by the ICC we could still get play if both sides agreed to use a pink ball. Seems highly unlikely though.
We have returned
Play is back in Durban.
Simon Harmer starts with the ball and Pat Cummins pushes the first delivery to backward point for two.
That’s the tea break
A mini fightback from Pat Cummins and Matt Renshaw to end the second session.
Simon Harmer hasn’t looked great with ball in hand, getting his lengths wrong occasionally.
Australia finished 6-149 with South Africa definitely in control but South Africa’s bowlers needed the break.
“A competitive afternoon because Renshaw dug in and made it a fight,” commentator Mark Nicholas said on SuperSport.
No mock but Renshaw looking solid
Hopefully this isn’t a curse on Matt Renshaw but he looks comfortable against spin.
He’s using the reverse sweep to his advantage off Keshav Maharaj and has moved to 31 not out.
It’s going to take something special from him to put Australia back in this match though.
South Africa convinced at Webster edge
South Africa has one review left and they’re taking it.
Anrich Nortje is convinced Beau Webster has nicked behind from a forward defensive shot.
Webster stood his ground and the umpire said not out.
The replay shows Webster has in fact nicked the ball and he’s gone for 4 off 2 balls.
Nortje on fire, Australia in deep trouble.
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Selectors ‘hoping to hit a bullseye’ as Maddinson fails in 33-ball duck
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Aussie young gun put in quarantine amid first Test selection mystery
Source: www.nine.com.au
