Nic Maddinson went from a 33-ball duck to a 38-ball 48 as Australia reached 174 for 4 at lunch on day four, stretching their lead over South Africa to 280 in the Durban Test.
Nic Maddinson went from a 33-ball duck to a 38-ball 48 as Australia charged to 174 for 4 by lunch on day four of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, ESPNcricinfo reported. Add the 390 from the first innings, take away South Africa's 284, and Australia lead by 280 with six wickets in hand.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Match | South Africa v Australia, 1st Test (Test no. 2637), Kingsmead, Durban, 9-13 October 2026, World Test Championship |
| Scores at lunch, day 4 | Australia 390 and 174 for 4 (36 overs), South Africa 284 |
| Lead | 280 runs (390 + 174 - 284) |
| Nic Maddinson | 48 off 38 balls, 6 fours and 2 sixes (strike rate 126.31), caught out by an Anrich Nortje yorker |
| Matt Renshaw | 190 in the first innings, 32 not out at lunch |
| Marnus Labuschagne | 37 in each innings |
| Steven Smith | 27 in the second innings |
| South Africa's first innings | 284, David Bedingham 49; Pat Cummins 3 for 54, Josh Hazlewood 2 for 54 |
| Light | Bad light has cut a third straight day short in the final session |
From duck to tone-setter
Few openers have been picked with less warning. Maddinson had not played first-class cricket since March 2025, and these were his first Test runs since December 2016. He made a 33-ball duck in the first innings and had already avoided a pair with a first-ball boundary on day three.
Then came the morning. He greeted Simon Harmer with a huge six down the ground, rode some luck with boundaries through the slips, and pounced on width with several blows through the off side. His 48 passed his previous best Test score of 22. He fell two short of a maiden Test fifty, undone by a superb Nortje yorker.
Renshaw holds the other end
Matt Renshaw, who made 190 off 397 balls in the first innings before Harmer had him caught by Markram, was unbeaten on 32 at lunch, repeatedly reverse-sweeping as the track began to turn. Alex Carey was alongside him on 5 not out.
The other batters chipped in without kicking on. Labuschagne made 37 for the second time in the match, caught by Bavuma off Keshav Maharaj. Steven Smith was hit on the helmet by a Nortje bouncer, then struck three boundaries before holing out to Jansen off Harmer for 27. Travis Head managed 11 before a leading edge to Jansen.
Light closes in again
Australia resumed on 33 without loss after bad light ended day three early. That made it the third consecutive day cut short in the final session, and with the light looming again, time is as big a factor in Durban as the scoreboard.
The shape of the Test is clear: Australia are 280 ahead with six second-innings wickets in hand, and South Africa face either a huge chase or a long survival job on a turning pitch.
Figures are from ESPNcricinfo's match report by Tristan Lavalette, cross-checked against the full scorecard. Read the full report on Cricinfo. Cricinfo.
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