Australia field oldest-ever Test XI as all 11 players pass 30

Australia’s age record arrives in a rain-hit Durban Test

Australia made a piece of men’s Test history in Durban, fielding an XI in which every player was aged 30 or above for the first time in the team’s 149-year history. The team averaged 34.59 years when captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat against South Africa.

According to statistician Ric Finlay, as quoted by News18, the Australian side was the seventh-oldest Test XI on record and the country’s oldest in about a century. Nathan Lyon, 38, was the oldest player, while Matt Renshaw, 30, was the youngest. Five members of the XI were at least 35: Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood.

Maddinson’s return changes the age profile

The selection marked a return for Nic Maddinson, 34, who had not played a Test since December 2016. He was making only his fourth appearance in the format, having featured in three Tests during that year. Australia’s regular rotation of openers had previously kept at least one player under 30 in the side; Maddinson’s recall ended that run.

Australia’s 18-player squad averaged around 32.6 years of age, with just three players under 30: Cooper Connolly, 23, Cameron Green, 27, and Sam Harper, 29. Green had regularly featured in the XI but had struggled for form recently, according to the report.

South Africa take wickets before weather intervenes

South Africa’s attack, missing pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, used the movement and bounce on a lightly grassed Kingsmead pitch to limit Australia to 187/6 before rain and bad light ended the opening day early. Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen led the bowling effort.

Mulder dismissed Travis Head for nine, and Jansen removed Maddinson for a duck after a 33-ball stay, leaving Australia 24/2. Marnus Labuschagne made 37 and Smith scored 25 as the pair added 60 for the third wicket from 94 balls. Smith hit two sixes off Keshav Maharaj before Jansen dismissed him after lunch. In making his innings, Smith moved past Steve Waugh to become Australia’s third-highest run-scorer in men’s Tests.

The Durban match is the opening fixture of a three-Test World Test Championship series. Australia chose to bat after winning the toss, but the combination of South Africa’s early breakthroughs and the weather left the visitors with work to do when play resumes.