Nick Maddinson Cricket photos by Getty Images

Powerful batter, excellent fielder, handy bowler and poised under pressure. Teenage prodigy Nic Maddinson has it all, which is why the left-hander from the NSW south coast has been earmarked as a future star in all three formats of the game.

WHAT’S HIS STORY?

Born and raised in Nowra, NSW, Maddinson has been around cricket his whole life. Picking up the sport through his father, he quickly rose through the junior ranks and was opening the batting for local club Warilla’s first grade side at the tender age of 15. Selection in the NSW Under-17s team was followed by a move to Sydney to play for Sutherland, where he made his first grade debut at 17 and has played alongside the likes of Phil Jacques and Steve Smith. Sutherland coach Shane Duff has overseen Maddinson for the past three years and says the opener was always someone who stood out from the pack. “At Sutherland, he was a player they spoke of in terms of having great talent and no matter what his results were, no matter what his performances were, we just really had to push him and get him into first grade,” Duff says.

Maddinson’s career has taken a fast upward trajectory – he was part of the NSW Under-19s team that won the Australian championships in December 2009, and then starred for the Australian Under-19s squad that defeated Pakistan in the final of the ICC Under-19s World Cup a month later. The now 20-year-old has made an impression at both grade and provincial level, smashing 137 runs in 2010’s Sydney first grade semi-final against Eastern Suburbs.Last year he toured Zimbabwe with Australia A and made a memorable first class debut for NSW by becoming the youngest ever player to score a century in his first match, with a classy knock of 113 against South Australia at the age of 18 years and 294 days.

Duff believes Maddinson is the complete package, apart from his amazing run-making skills. “In terms of his batting, he’s got shot-making ability all around the wicket,” he says. “He’s an exceptional fielder, too. He’s fast across the ground, he’s got an extremely strong throwing arm and his bowling’s probably a bit under the radar.” A left-arm orthodox spinner, Maddinson has picked up five-wicket hauls in grade cricket but is yet to enjoy the same success bowling in the state arena. New South Wales coach Anthony Stuart agrees that Maddinson has all the tools to one day be selected for Australia. He describes the youngster as an “outstanding talent” who’s always willing to learn.

WHO’S HE LIKE? 

Identified early because of his raw talent, and fast-tracked to greater heights, in many ways Maddinson shares similarities with current Australian captain Michael Clarke. “While he’s a completely different type of player to Clarke, he’s got that kind of feel to him,” Duff says. “Pushing him early is the right way to go for him.” The man himself says he hasn’t modelled his game on anyone, but looked up to Australian stars Michael Bevan and Justin Langer as a youngster. “I loved watching him [Langer] bat,” Maddinson says. “The first Test I went to, he scored 200.”

Test cricket may be the Sydney Sixer’s preference, but most pundits believe he has the all-round game for Twenty20 and one-dayers as well. “Nic obviously is a good bat and an excellent fielder, but he bowls handy left-arm off-spin and those all-round skills keep him in the mix for all formats,” says Troy Cooley, Cricket Australia’s Centre Of Excellence head coach. According to Cooley, Maddinson is an exciting talent to work with and one who understands the game. “This summer he’s working hard on his footwork to spin, and developing more sweeping options.”

‒ John Davidson