Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As anyone will tell you—particularly my family—I am usually not much of a cricket watcher. However, when parliament closes on Thursday, I will be searching for the cricket highlights, because Nic Maddinson will make his debut for Australia in the third test against South Africa. Nic will play on the Adelaide Oval. While this is one of cricket's greatest honours, more importantly Nic is a resident of the Shoalhaven area, in my electorate of Gilmore. Alongside fellow Shoalhaven resident Ian Davis, Nic will be the Shoalhaven's second test cricketer.

Nic has had close to 60 first-class games and has previously played for Australia in the Twenty20 and an Australian A team. On the local scene, Nic has competed in the Bradman Cup, Southern Zone and country teams. He began playing representative cricket for the Shoalhaven in the under-12s, competed in state teams and national junior teams and was a member of the Australian under-19s who successfully competed in and won the World Cup in 2010.

Locally, Nic has been awarded the Shoalhaven Sportstar of the Year award for three years and was also the recipient of the very famous Bernie Regan Memorial Sporting Trust Grant.

More than five years ago, at the age of 18 years, Nic made his Sheffield Shield debut in Adelaide and posted 113, which broke a 70-year-old state record as the youngest century-maker on debut. Everyone in our region will be sending their best wishes to Nic in his first test cricket match because he makes us all so proud. Go, Nic!