Australia made history in the opening Test against South Africa in Durban by fielding a men's Test playing XI in which every player was aged 30 or older. The lineup became the national team's oldest in nearly a century, with an average age of 34.59, seventh among the oldest XIs in men's Test history.
Captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first at Kingsmead on Friday, October 9. However, the visitors lost two wickets for just 28 runs in the first 12 overs against South Africa's pace attack. Nic Maddinson marked his Test return after nearly a decade with a duck.
For the first time, every player in an Australian men's Test XI was aged 30 or older. Matthew Renshaw, the youngest member of the lineup at 30, made his Test debut in 2016. The six older XIs in men's Test history all took the field in the mid-to-late 1920s.
England first achieved the feat against arch-rivals at Leeds in 1921. New Zealand followed against Pakistan in Karachi in 2022 and 2023, and against England in Wellington in 2023.
Instances of All Playing XI Members of a Team Being Aged 30 or Older in a Test:
England vs Australia, Leeds, 1921
New Zealand vs Pakistan, Karachi, 2022
New Zealand vs Pakistan, Karachi, 2023
New Zealand vs England, Wellington, 2023
Australia vs South Africa, Durban, 2026*
South Africa Pacers Strike in Tough Opening Hour
The visiting team struggled in the opening session. Travis Head fell for nine after edging Wiaan Mulder down the leg side, with South Africa overturning the initial decision through a successful review. Nic Maddinson then chopped the ball onto his stumps while attempting to cut left-arm pacer Marco Jansen.
Jansen conceded just four runs in his first six overs as South Africa restricted the visiting team to 28/2 after 12 overs. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith were left to rebuild after the early dismissals. Labuschagne also took a sharp bouncer from Anrich Nortje to the body.
South Africa entered the match without premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Nortje returned to Test cricket for the first time in more than three years. The hosts also selected a spin-friendly side, with Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer in the XI.
Nic Maddinson Sets Unwanted Records on Test Return
Nic Maddinson's 33-ball duck was the third-longest by an opening batter in men's Test history. Only New Zealand's Darrin Murray, who faced 39 balls against Sri Lanka in 1995, and Zimbabwe's Trevor Gripper, who faced 36 against West Indies in 2000, lasted longer before being dismissed without scoring.
Among Australian batters across all positions, only Mike Whitney faced more balls before recording a duck. Whitney lasted 42 balls against England in Manchester in 1981.
The 34-year-old returned to Test cricket after an absence of nine years and 283 days, the second-longest gap between Test appearances by an Australian. Bob Simpson holds the record at nine years and 305 days, while Ernie Mayne ranks third at nine years and 104 days.
Maddinson also missed 88 consecutive Tests between appearances, surpassing Brad Hogg and Tim Paine, who each missed 78. He missed the entire previous Sheffield Shield season while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer.
His return to first-class cricket came after a gap of 579 days, the longest such break by an Australian before a men's Test since Joe Darling's 676-day absence between 1900 and 1901. David Warner and Steve Smith previously shared the next-longest gap of 494 days.
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