Longest ducks in Test cricket history ft. Nic Maddinson, Shoaib Akhtar

Australia batter Nic Maddinson had a nightmare return to Test cricket after getting dismissed for a duck against South Africa on Day 1 of the ongoing three-match Test series opener in Durban. Nic Maddinson faced 33 balls before getting out for a duck and ended up creating an unwanted record.

The left-handed batter returned to Test cricket after nearly 10 years, but his long stay ended when he chopped the ball onto his stumps while trying to play a cut shot against Marco Jansen in the 11th over of Australia’s first innings.

Nic Maddinson enters unwanted record books

Nic Maddinson’s 33-ball duck in Durban became the longest by an Australian opening batter in Test cricket and the third-longest duck by an opening batter in Test history.

The Australian batter is only behind New Zealand’s Darrin Murray, who faced 39 balls against Sri Lanka in Dunedin in 1995, and Zimbabwe’s Trevor Gripper, who faced 36 balls against the West Indies in Kingston in 2000.

The Australian batter also recorded the longest duck by a Test opener in the 21st century. Zimbabwe’s Mark Dekker faced 30 balls before getting out for zero against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo in 1994, while England’s Brian Luckhurst faced 29 balls against Australia in Sydney in 1971.

Longest ducks by opening batters in Test Cricket

• 39 balls: Darrin Murray (New Zealand) vs Sri Lanka, Dunedin, 1995
• 36 balls: Trevor Gripper (Zimbabwe) vs West Indies, Kingston, 2000
• 33 balls: Nic Maddinson (Australia) vs South Africa, Durban, 2026
• 30 balls: Mark Dekker (Zimbabwe) vs Sri Lanka, Bulawayo, 1994
• 29 balls: Brian Luckhurst (England) vs Australia, Sydney, 1971

Shoaib Akhtar features in the unwanted list

Nic Maddinson has made it to the list of players who faced a large number of balls without scoring in Test cricket. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is also part of that unwanted record. Akhtar faced 42 balls before being dismissed for a duck against Sri Lanka in 2000.

The record for the most balls faced in a Test innings without scoring belongs to New Zealand’s Geoff Allott, who faced 77 balls against South Africa in 1999.

England’s James Anderson is second on the list after facing 55 balls against Sri Lanka in 2014. Richard Ellison faced 52 balls against India in 1984, while Peter Such faced 51 balls against New Zealand in 1999. Amid this, Australia create unwanted history with first all-30-plus Test XI.

Most balls faced for a duck in Test Cricket

• 77 balls: Geoff Allott vs South Africa, 1999
• 55 balls: James Anderson vs Sri Lanka, 2014
• 52 balls: Richard Ellison vs India, 1984
• 51 balls: Peter Such vs New Zealand, 1999
• 45 balls: Miguel Cummins vs India, 2019
• 42 balls: Mike Whitney vs England, 1981
• 42 balls: Shoaib Akhtar vs Sri Lanka, 2000
• 41 balls: Manjural Islam vs Sri Lanka, 2002
• 40 balls: Keith Arthurton vs England, 1995
• 39 balls: Darrin Murray vs Sri Lanka, 1995
• 38 balls: Ian O’Brien vs Australia, 2008
• 36 balls: Trevor Gripper vs West Indies, 2000
• 35 balls: Heath Streak vs Sri Lanka, 1994
• 34 balls: Geoff Arnold vs Australia, 1975
• 34 balls: Abdur Rauf vs Sri Lanka, 2009
• 33 balls: Nic Maddinson vs South Africa, 2026

Nic Maddinson’s nightmare Test comeback gets worse

Nic Maddinson last played a Test for Australia during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in 2016. His return to the squad had already faced a lot of criticism because he had not played a first-class match for more than a year.

Now, his embarrassing comeback made things worst for him. Maddinson found himself in the record books for an unwanted achievement.

Indian batters who faced most balls for a duck

When it comes to India, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant have faced most balls without scoring Test runs. They have also faced 29 balls each before getting dismissed for a duck in Test cricket.

Pathan recorded the duck against Pakistan in 2005, Raina against England in 2011, and Pant against England in 2018.

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Source: cricketaddictor.com