Stars align as Nic Maddison takes on captaincy and task at hand of ‘unfinished business’ with career

There’s been two breaks in batman Nic Maddinson’s rollercoaster ride — one for the good, one for the bad. Looking to learn from the harsh lessons, he’s all set to resurrect his career.

Nic Maddinson bats on day two of the Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and Western Australia in December.

Nic Maddinson reckons he didn’t do too much wrong at the start of his Test career.

“In my first Test I got a 145km in-swinger,” Maddinson told the Herald Sun.

“There wasn’t much I could do.”

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COMMITTED MADDINSON RECOVERED FROM BAD BREAK

Maddinson was just 24 when he received his Baggy Green and South African tearaway Kagiso Rabada then delivered a nightmare initiation.

Rabada’s unplayable peach dismissed Maddinson for a duck on debut. After two Tests Maddinson held the unwanted average of 1.6 runs.

Granted a Christmas Day lifeline by the selectors, it was the 2016 Boxing Day match against Pakistan which haunts Maddinson.

“That was the one I really missed out on,” he said.

Nic Maddinson smashes another boundary on his way to 162 against Western Australia at the MCG last month. Picture: AAP

“I got 20-odd on a pretty flat wicket when we were looking to set up a big score.

“My decision-making let me down. But I know a lot more about my game now, and I understand and can accept the ebbs and flows of batting in a four or five-day match.”

Yasir Shah bowled Maddinson (22 off 55) and there was no shot at second innings redemption as mega scores from Steve Smith and David Warner set up Australia’s innings win.

Maddinson was out of the Test team and little more than 12 months later he was also cut by NSW.

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NIC MADDINSON IN THE BBL

Games: 56

Runs: 1349

Strike-rate: 133.3

Average: 25.5

Best: 85

50s: 8

Boundaries: 18.4%

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The state axing blindsided the aggressive top-order batsman and, having already signed at the Melbourne Stars, Maddinson headed to the MCG to pick up the pieces.

He was playing the long game, pinpointing Victoria as his most likely route back to the top.

Maddinson, 27, didn’t expect to earn a Sheffield Shield debut in the first block of games before the Big Bash. Instead, he just wanted to slowly push his case with club cricket runs.

But with Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris and Pete Handscomb in the Test squad he was elevated for the December 7 match against Western Australia at the MCG.

Nic Maddinson was in superb touch against Western Australia.

Nic Maddinson is stuck on the arm in the second innings.

It was the break Maddinson badly needed.

“It was a little bit uncertain whether I’d play Shield cricket again,” Maddinson said.

“Obviously you hope you do, but you never know coming to a new state. I was quite proud to get to play for Victoria, especially before Christmas.”

And Maddinson cashed in, top-scoring with 162 runs compiled patiently against 293 deliveries.

Maddinson joined Donald Bradman and Michael Bevan as the only players to score centuries on debut for different states as his rollercoaster career suddenly found itself hurtling upwards.

Then came the break Maddinson didn’t need. In the second innings, a Jhye Richardson thunderbolt cannoned into Maddinson’s right arm and shattered the bone.

After stumps that day Maddinson was booked to be photographed by the Herald Sun for the front cover of its Big Bash liftout, as one of the Stars’ new poster boys.

Nic Maddinson on the road to recovery.

Instead, he was rushed to Epworth Hospital for X-rays and surgery was booked to insert a plate and six screws.

The realisation he would miss the first five BBL games sank in. But on Wednesday night Maddinson will captain the Stars, and that 162 will forever burn brightly.

“It was one of the happier moments I’ve had in cricket, especially in the last couple of years,” Maddinson said the night before his broken arm.

Why?

“Because of the style of innings I played. It was one of my more disciplined innings and it’s the second-most amount of balls I’ve ever faced in Shield cricket.

“I hadn’t made a 100 for just on two years, maybe a touch more. My last one was against WA at the SCG, just before I played Test cricket.

“The sacrifice to move down away from friends and not really be near any family as well made it a little bit sweeter.

“I was unwanted in NSW and packed up and moved down here. Of all my hundreds, that’s the one that’s made me the happiest so far.”

Make no mistake, Maddinson is playing in search of a fourth Test match.

“I feel like there’s a bit of unfinished business,” he said.

“I’d really like the opportunity again to prove to myself that I can play at Test level. That’s what’s driving me at the moment.”

Mike Hussey is a believer, declaring the move to Victoria could revive Maddinson’s Test chances.

Kerry O’Keeffe thinks Australia should consider Maddinson for the middle order in this year’s World Cup.

Technically, Maddinson is the same batsman. But the man with a moustache is certain he is now a stronger force.

“In the past when there’s been a tough spell of bowling I’ve probably not had the mental strength to get through it and have kept trying to play an aggressive style,” he said.

“That’s cost me runs and cost me my wicket and obviously my spot in some teams.

“Being a little bit more patient was the main thing, just being satisfied to bat a little bit of time rather than worrying about how many runs I’m scoring.”