Nic Maddison’s cricket season is over after scans confirmed a ruptured ACL for the Melbourne Renegades captain.
The left-hander was hurt in the second over of the Perth Scorchers’ BBL run-chase at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, slumping to the ground after twisting his left leg when he turned to return a throw.
Scans confirmed the Renegades’ worst fears for Maddinson’s knee.Credit:Getty Images
The 31-year-old was in immediate pain before he was eventually carted from the field, with scans on Monday confirming the long-term injury.
Replacement captain Aaron Finch said the noticeably patchy playing surface was “a bit sandy and a lot slower than I’ve seen it in the past” but was unsure whether it played a role in Maddinson’s injury.
He will miss the rest of the Sheffield Shield and BBL seasons for Victoria and the battling Renegades respectively, who have lost four straight games since beginning their campaign with three victories.
The season-ending injury continues a rotten run for Melbourne Renegades captains, after WBBL skipper Sophie Molineux also ruptured her ACL.
Maddinson blazed 87 in a season-opening win over Brisbane but had managed just three runs in his past five BBL innings, including three ducks.
He will leave a leadership void in Victoria’s Shield side too, having captained his adopted state for the first time last year after a successful move from NSW in 2018 reinvigorated his career.
“It’s very unfortunate news for Nic, he has been one of the leading batters in the country across the Sheffield Shield over recent years,” Cricket Victoria’s cricket boss Graham Manou said.
“Nic has also been an outstanding leader within our young squad and I have no doubt he will continue to play that role through his rehabilitation process.
“We’re right behind Nic, we’ll provide our full support in any way we can.”
Maddinson scored a century on his Shield debut as an 18-year-old for the Blues, made his T20 international debut two years later and played three Tests in 2016.
Cut from NSW at the end of the 2017-18 season, Maddinson made the move south and scored seven centuries in his next 31 first-class games to surge back into the reckoning for higher honours.
“Our thoughts are with Nic and we will continue to support him as he works through his recovery,” Melbourne Renegades general manager, James Rosengarten said.
“Nic has been a fantastic leader for our team since taking over the captaincy last season and he will continue to play a big role in this team moving forward.”
AAP
