Renshaw keeps Australia’s hopes intact against South Africa after Maddinson gamble fails

  • Opener’s painful duck gets tourists’ series off to bad start

  • Renshaw and Cummins keep hosts’ attack at bay

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.

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Pat Cummins unfazed by prospect of Khawaja book raising sandpaper scandal: ‘Tell your story’

  • Former Test opener is writing a new book released next month

  • Australia captain Cummins confirms conversation with Khawaja

Pat Cummins has suggested he is unfazed by the prospect of the sandpaper scandal being raised in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, which will be the first from any Australian player who played in that 2018 Cape Town Test.

Cummins confirmed that Khawaja had called to inform him he would be writing the book, which will be released days after the end of Australia’s first Test tour of South Africa since the infamous match.

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